Premier League: Can United Deliver ‘Ruud’ Farewell?

Manchester United vs Leicester City

So, the final farewell – or so it would seem – for Manchester United goal hero Ruud van Nistelrooy.

How he excited me as a frontman.

In fact, for a couple of years there was no more clinical forward in Europe.

As his former captain Roy Keane said last week, when Ruud was played through, such was the Dutchman’s confidence that the ball would end up in the back of the net, there may as well have not been a goalkeeper.

How times have changed.

For among United’s biggest weaknesses in the first third of the season, in both the Premier League and Europa League (as recently as Thursday night), has been their profligacy.

There’s no doubting the potential of Rasmus Hojlund as a target man who will score goals.

But with Marcus Rashford frustratingly inconsistent, Joshua Zirkzee struggling to adapt to English football (albeit it’s early days) and Brazilian winger Antony one of the recruits whose spark has been only shown in bursts, there’s been few glimpses of the ruthlessness which was a key part of their success when the Red Devils dominated English football.

As Leicester City await – by a quirk of fate his final game as interim boss is against the same team who were his first opponents – one of ‘Ruud’s priorities is to get his boys firing again.

 

Talking Points 

That the newly promoted Foxes have scored five more goals than the Red Devils in the opening 10 league games of the campaign demonstrates just how poor they have been in front of goal.

Indeed, of their nine so far, three of those came in a victory at Southampton in mid-September.

With Steve Cooper overseeing a decent start for last season’s Championship winners, Leicester can be quietly hopeful of securing Premier League status with a bit to spare following their surprise relegation 18 months ago.

Certainly, they should be a very different proposition to the team which were hit for five at Old Trafford a week ago in the League Cup – different in terms of durability and also personnel as that was largely a reserve side.

United should line up in quite a similar format to that encounter and will hope the forward line can add to the goals which midfield duo Casemiro and skipper Bruno Fernandes supplied nine days ago, along with exciting young winger Alejandro Garnacho.

United come into this contest after a Europa League outing in midweek, while Leicester have had a week without a game but, presumably, boosted by a late equaliser at Ipswich Town last Saturday which could be priceless.

That was when Jordan Ayew came on as a substitute and scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to justify Cooper’s bold move and rescue a point.

Both teams are in need of Premier League highlights and, more importantly, points this Sunday but, arguably, the hosts’ need is even greater.

The pressure is all on Manchester United. Can they turn back the clock and produce a clinical display that Ruud would be proud of?

 

History

Overall, United have won 71 of their meetings with 36 Leicester successes and 31 draws.

Both league meetings two seasons ago went the way of United, although they were closer than you may think.

Jadon Sancho scored the only goal of the game at the King Power Stadium to secure a third straight win for the then new boss Erik Ten Hag.

At Old Trafford five months later, goals from Rashford (two) and Sancho sealed a 3-0 victory, but only after a combination of David de Gea and wasteful finishing kept out the east Midlanders who had made the better start.

It was one of a number of matches which the Foxes, who have memorably won the Premier League and FA Cup in the past eight years let’s not forget, were left to rue their wastefulness.

 

Betting Tip 

Despite their poor form, United are firm favourites with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds, priced 1X2 @ 1.34 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 2.28.

Leicester, who have put up good showings against both Spurs and Arsenal this season, are on offer 1X2 @ 6.40 and Asian Handicap +1.25 @ 2.19.

The draw will pay out @ 4.98, while a re-run of their last league meeting is available @ 9.40 with Correct Score 3-0.

Given there hasn’t been a goalless draw between these sides since 1997, I’m not opting for total goal 0-1 @ 4.86 but 2-3 @ 2.18 has caught my eye and so has 4-6 @ 2.32.

   

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