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    Erik ten Hag admits 'luck not on my side' in final Man Utd press conference

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    Manchester United face their first match since the sacking of Erik ten Hag, as they host Leicester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night. The long-winded and inevitable exit of the Dutch head coach came to a head after the weekend following a late defeat to West Ham, which left United 14th in the Premier League.

    Already talks to bring in Ruben Amorim as a replacement look significantly advanced, but for this match it will be Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dugout as interim boss.

    Trying to capitalise on the situation at Old Trafford will be the Foxes, whose back-to-back league wins were halted last time out by Nottingham Forest - but sat in 15th, just two points behind United, they’ll be happy enough with their season’s start and perhaps sense an opportunity to provide a shock in this fixture.

    Follow updates from Man United vs Leicester in the live blog below:

    Cooper on Nottingham Forest defeat

    Leicester were on a decent run of form before they fell to a 3-1 loss at home against Nottingham Forest at the weekend. It’s a result the manager labelled as a ‘setback’

    Cooper explored the defeat in his pre-match press conference saying: “It was a set-back but if you look at the Forest game and the Southampton game, they are probably great examples of what will come in the future this season.

    “We will have games where we get really good results and the world feels like a brilliant place and we’ll get the opposite like we had against Forest.

    “That’s the nature of the league that we’re playing in and where we’re at. What we’ve got to do is make sure that we stay on task and stay on track, which we are doing. We’re really disappointed with how we let the game slip away from us on Friday because at half-time, it was really there to take advantage and get a win, and we didn’t do that.

    “That was disheartening, especially when I watched the game back, but we have to accept it, as difficult as that is, because we never want to accept defeat too easily, but make sure that it doesn’t deter us from the journey that we’re on.

    “That journey will be full of ups and downs, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve experienced it before and I know whatever has gone before has only got to be used to make you stronger going forward, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent and that’s what we’re really committed to this week.”

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 19:20

    Leicester want ‘to win every game'

    Leicester manager Steve Cooper has high hopes for his team and says the target is to ‘win every game’ they play starting at Old Trafford tonight.

    “The difference with this one is that it’s an away game and then we go away again to Ipswich at the weekend, so it’s times like this where it’s good that you have a squad,” Cooper explained when addressing team changes.

    “It gives you decisions to make and, if we feel like we need to, utilise the squad over the two games, then we will do that.

    “It’s one game at a time. We want to win every game that we play and all focus is on tomorrow and making sure we really commit to what is required to make it a positive night.

    “We’re striving every day to improve and knowing that when we get to the levels we know we can get to, it will be really positive.”

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 19:15

    What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd

    Order some shooting practice

    Ten Hag will have cleared out his office on Monday thinking about what could have been had his players scored some of their first-half chances at West Ham on Sunday.

    That has been United’s biggest Achilles heel so far as they have failed to make their dominance count in games.

    Only Southampton and Crystal Palace have scored fewer than them in the Premier League so far, so the new manager must find a way for his players to be more clinical.

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 19:10

    What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd

    Provide a clear identity

    A big criticism during the Ten Hag era was that there was no identity to his United side and it was a mystery as to how they would set up from one game to the next.

    The new manager must change that and provide a team with an obvious personality and defined character – preferably one that attacks and plays on the front foot.

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 19:05

    What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd

    Sort out form

    It is the most obvious place to start, but Ruben Amorim will be expected to turn results around quickly.

    Erik ten Hag was ultimately fired because he was simply not winning enough games and the new man must hit the ground running.

    He will inherit a side 14th in the Premier League after four defeats from their opening nine games and struggling in the Europa League.

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 19:00

    More from Van Nistelrooy

    The Man Utd interim boss continued saying: “Despite our results, I am loving being back at Old Trafford and working with the team and staff every day. We’ve seen the squad’s potential at times this season, but clearly not often enough.

    “When I returned in the summer as Erik’s assistant, it was because I believe that Manchester United can climb back to the levels that I knew here as a player. I still have that belief, but it will take time and a lot of hard work.

    “The first step is to restore the winning habit, starting at Old Trafford this evening. I know first-hand the positive effect that our wonderful fans can have on the team, so please get behind the players as we fight together to move a step closer to Wembley.”

    (Action Images via Reuters)

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 18:55

    Van Nistelrooy on taking over at Man Utd

    Ruud van Nistelrooy is the new interim manager of Manchester United though he may not be in the role for very long depending on negotiations with Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim.

    While he is in charge Van Nistelrooy took the opportunity to address the fans in tonight’s match programme.

    He wrote: “As I am sure everyone can imagine, I am writing these notes with a huge amount of mixed emotions. Erik ten Hag brought me back to Manchester United in the summer and, while I have only been part of the coaching staff here for a few months, I will always be grateful to him for giving me the opportunity, and I am saddened to see him leave.

    “Even on an interim basis, it is a great honour to manage the club I love for however long I am asked to do so. I can promise that I will continue to give my all, in whatever capacity, to try to turn around our fortunes.”

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 18:50

    Man Utd line-up

    Man Utd XI: Bayindir; Dalot, Lindelof, De Ligt, Martinez; Ugarte, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 18:46

    Bruno Fernandes on Ruben Amorim’s potential as a manager

    Bruno Fernandes spoke glowingly last year about Ruben Amorim and his potential as a manager.

    The Sporting boss has been tipped to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and the Portuguese midfielder’s remarks from last year suggest he will be pleased with the potential appointment.

    “I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,” Fernandes told SportTV last year.

    “Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.”

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 18:40

    Leicester line-up

    Leicester XI:

    Mike Jones30 October 2024 18:38

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