Van Nistelrooy wants Old Trafford fear factor back
Ruud van Nistelrooy has challenged Manchester United to be ruthless, with the interim boss saying Old Trafford has less of a fear factor after its recent results.
Van Nistelrooy led the Red Devils to a 2-0 win against PAOK in the UEFA Europa League on Friday (AEDT) and remains unbeaten in his time as Erik ten Hag’s temporary successor before Ruben Amorim’s arrival next week.
All three of his games in charge have come at the Theatre Of Dreams, which culminates with another home fixture against Leicester City in the Premier League, a side he has already beaten in the Carabao Cup at the end of last month.
United has picked up just seven points from its five home league games this season, with only seven teams winning less, something Van Nistelrooy says must improve.
"That's something that is important to change," he said. "Home games at Old Trafford were basically hardly won [by the visitors].
"As I said, the reason why I'm here is to get United back to that point. It's hard work, it needs to be done, but, of course, it is a chance to get a home win after a long time.
"I don't know. I think less because of the results that more teams got at Old Trafford, that means something. How teams are coming and playing here, so again that's something you have to build again.”
Leicester, meanwhile, comes into the encounter at Old Trafford after snatching a point late on against 10-man Ipswich Town, with Jordan Ayew netting in the second half stoppage-time.
The Foxes are without a win in three games in all competitions since back-to-back victories against Bournemouth and Southampton in the Premier League in October.
While head coach Steve Cooper was happy his side was able to add another point to its league total, he said he left Portman Road with mixed feelings after reflecting on the encounter.
“A point away from home in the Premier League is never anything to be too despondent about. It will feel like a win scoring late, but I think we'll feel better about the result than what Ipswich will,” Cooper said.
“It's miles a better result than it is for Ipswich, but we think of ourselves, we think internally we shouldn't be satisfied with just the point. There should be some disappointment and frustration there, but we also know that we worked really hard in the end to get something out of the game.
“We started really strong, finished really strong, but bits in between were a little bit too up and down for my liking, so it’s mixed feelings, but we keep ticking over, and we move on now.”
United has lost just two of their last 17 Premier League games against Leicester, with those defeats coming consecutively in May and October 2021.
The Red Devils have also scored in each of their past 28 top-flight games against Leicester, since a 1-0 loss in January 1998. In their Premier League history, only against Arsenal have they ever had a longer scoring streak – 30 between 1953 and 1968.
United has won 16 of its past 18 Premier League games against promoted sides and drawn two, since a 1-4 loss to Watford in November 2021, and will be hopeful of continuing to get their season back on track.
Its 12 points this season is the club’s lowest return after 10 top-flight games in a season since 1986-1987 (eight), while their nine goals scored is its lowest at this stage since 1973-1974, also nine.
Leicester, meanwhile, has won just one of its past 14 Premier League away games against United, picking up a 2-1 victory in May 2021.
But it is one of two teams – along with Man City – to have scored in all 10 of its Premier League games so far this season. Only in 2018-2019 (first 11) and its 2015-2016 title-winning campaign (17) has it had a longer streak from the start of a season in the competition.
