Man Utd 'should have kept Ruud van Nistelrooy' and held off Ruben Amorim appointment as Leicester plummet towards relegation

The Foxes, currently embroiled in a perilous situation near the foot of the Premier League table, are reeling after another setback in their fight for survival, a 2-0 loss to West Ham United on Thursday. The result has left them five points adrift of safety, intensifying the scrutiny on Van Nistelrooy’s managerial tenure and credentials.

After Erik ten Hag left United, the Dutch legend was called upon to take over on an interim basis. Though his stint at Old Trafford was short-lived, it saw a solid start, with Van Nistelrooy securing three victories and a draw from his four matches at the helm. The 48-year-old was not retained in a long-term capacity, as ten Hag’s successor, Amorim, did not offer him a place on his backroom staff.

Van Nistelrooy’s appointment as Leicester manager was seen as an opportunity for both him and the struggling club to kickstart a fresh chapter. However, his time in charge has not gone according to plan as things have rapidly deteriorated for the Foxes, who have now suffered a string of defeats that has put them in serious danger of relegation.

There has been much debate on social media on whether Van Nistelrooy should have stayed at United, with Amorim potentially taking over for the 2025-26 season instead.

@graham0055 wrote: "I think Man United would have been better keeping Van Nistelrooy as he was brilliant in the short term and had team and support behind him Leicester probably should have stood by previous guy because he done better than the Van man or looked to Hodgson to keep them up #WHULEI".

One fan, @LieSagne, expressed regret, writing, "It would have been better for United, Nistelrooy, and Amorim if we had kept Van Nistelrooy until the end of the season before bringing in Amorim."

Another fan, @Elkrosmediahub, while acknowledging Leicester’s struggles, pointed to the toll the appointment had taken on Van Nistelrooy’s career, writing, "In all of these things happening to Leicester City, I feel bad for Van Nistelrooy’s CV. Man was probably on a trajectory, before that club happened. I’m sure if he was doing good at Leicester, a lot of United fans woulda been openly wishing he stayed interim🤣."

Whereas @Cana882 took a dig at the Dutchman and wrote: "So Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City has won just 2 matches in their last 22 games and yet, some fans thought he was the best man for Man United’s job."

@_JTD28 seconded and wrote: "Can't wait to see Leicester in the Premier League in the 27/28 season and the same old thing. United fans were screaming for Van Nistelrooy to get the United gig. I've no doubt we'd be there with Leicester if he did."

With just 17 points from 27 matches, the Foxes are staring down the barrel of relegation. Their immediate future will depend on a drastic turnaround in form, and with only 11 games left in the season, the pressure is mounting.

Leicester will next face Chelsea on March 9, a match that could have significant implications for their survival hopes. They will follow that up with a crucial fixture against Amorim's United on March 16.