By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United’s interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the team can turn around their torrid season based on the “spirit” he saw in their two games since the sacking of manager Erik ten Hag.
Moises Caicedo’s second-half strike for Chelsea cancelled a penalty from United captain Bruno Fernandes in a 1-1 Premier League draw on Sunday to spoil United’s celebrations, but Van Nistelrooy said there were positives to be gleaned from their performance after a difficult few days.
The draw saw United climb one spot in the table to 13th after 10 games.
“We’re early in and the performances, with the spirit the players showed, is a foundation to build on… then football qualities will come out,” Van Nistelrooy said. “That’s the foundation to build on, and then there’s time to improve a lot in the ranking.”
Fernandes said he spoke to Ten Hag after the Dutchman was sacked on Monday with United languishing 14th in the table.
“Whenever you see a manager go you have to take some of the blame on yourself, it is because the team is not doing so well,” Fernandes said. “It is easier to get rid of a manager than 15 players.
“I spoke to (Ten Hag) and apologised to him. I wasn’t scoring goals, we are not scoring goals and I feel responsible.”
Van Nistelrooy said the days since Ten Hag was shown the door have been “very difficult” for the team.
“Six days, the roller-coaster of emotions, obviously very sad seeing Erik leave, the next day you have to start to focus on getting the lads ready for a performance against Leicester (a 5-2 League Cup win on Wednesday), because 75,000 people are going to show up at Old Trafford, so we have the obligation, and the players feel that they have the obligation to do better.
“They looked also in the mirror, and their reactions Wednesday and today showed that they thought about things as well themselves.”
Van Nistelrooy’s positive view of Sunday’s performance was not shared by everyone.
Former United midfielder turned pundit Roy Keane said Ruben Amorim — Ten Hag’s permanent replacement who will take the reins as of Nov. 11 — should have signed a longer contract,
because “There’s a long way back for this team.
“This is an average United team,” Keane said on Sky Sports. “We don’t know what we are going to get from them, it’s hit and miss. At the end it was a bit more open, but really disappointed. It was so flat. From the manager’s point of view, this team is way off it.”
United’s nine goals through 10 games, third worst in the league, is their lowest total at this stage of a league campaign since 1973-1974.
While Amorim was named United’s head coach on Friday, Van Nistelrooy has not yet spoken to the Sporting CP boss, but the former United striker reiterated that he is keen to remain with the team in some capacity after Amorim takes over.
“We all will be backing him and helping him to get Manchester United to where we all want it to be,” Van Nistelrooy said. “I think that spirit is the most important to have, and it’s not about individuals, it’s about the club.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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