On Friday night, Manchester United faces Leicester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup. United secured a tough victory over Arsenal in the last round, despite Diogo Dalot receiving a red card during regular time, and will now host Leicester at Old Trafford. Earlier this season, United eliminated Leicester from the Carabao Cup with a 5-2 win at home in October, followed by a 3-0 defeat for the Foxes when they met again in the Premier League in November. Ruud van Nistelrooy is currently leading Leicester City and will make his first return to Old Trafford since finishing his temporary position at United. Here are five key points to watch for in this match… Are there any regrets regarding Van Nistelrooy? Van Nistelrooy likely feels regret about accepting the Leicester position, especially given their uncertain future in the Premier League. However, could there also be some remorse at Old Trafford for their choice to seek a permanent manager rather than letting Van Nistelrooy lead the team for the rest of the season? Ralf Rangnick was the most recent interim manager at United with a similar role, but his tenure was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim hasn’t made a significant positive impact on the team’s performance. Some critics suggest it might have been more beneficial for him to join in the summer, as he would have had a complete pre-season to establish his tactics and bring in new players suited to his style. Currently, Amorim is dealing with players who don’t fit optimally in their designated positions. Ineos realized that he would need to start using his system right away and that he wouldn’t have the necessary staff in place. Perhaps it would have been wiser for him to have made the move from Sporting Lisbon earlier in the summer. Van Nistelrooy performed well in his role as the interim manager for United. While it does not guarantee he would have maintained his success, he probably wouldn’t have performed significantly worse. Amorim faces a daunting challenge—United should have aided him in January—and he will eagerly await the season’s conclusion to recruit players suited for his approach. Van Nistelrooy says goodbye to the United fans. (Photo credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images).
