Ruud van Nistelrooy: Has The Antidote To The Manchester United 'Virus' Been Right Under Their Nose All Along?

Erik ten Hag had been walking on eggshells at Manchester United all season, with disappointing results such as the 3-0 home loss to Liverpool and then Tottenham Hotspur laying the foundation for a dismissal many fans would argue was long overdue.  The club released an official statement confirming that Ten Hag had been relieved of his duties.

In the same statement, Ruud Van Nistelrooy was confirmed as interim head coach until the club finds a permanent replacement. Reports suggest Ruben Amorim is closing in on becoming the Red Devils' new manager.


Van Nistelrooy was the head coach of Eredivisie side PSV for the 2022/2023 campaign, during which he acquired silverware for the club in his first and only season in charge. He agreed to join Ten Hag’s coaching staff in the summer, citing the club as an 'ideal destination' to continue his managerial development under a manager who shares a similar footballing philosophy. During his time at PSV, the former United striker won the Dutch Cup and the Dutch Super Cup but ultimately missed out on the Eredivisie title to Feyenoord at the end of what many would agree was an impressive debut season in first-team management. 

Manchester United's Antidote: Van Nistelrooy from a tactical perspective

 Obvious Similarities

Van Nistelrooy deployed a 4-2-3-1 at PSV that often morphed into a 4-2-2 or a more compact and rigid 4-4-2 depending on the circumstances and opposition. In attack, he would opt for a 4-4-2 shape with the number 10 pushing up to play beside the striker. Here, the number 10 resembles a sort of second striker. Ideally, the player in this position should have good attack awareness, an eye for a goal, and a tendency to arrive late in the box to finish off crosses. The number 10 in this system provides an alternate goal threat to that of the striker and is also a key figure in the press.

While pressing, the two most forward players look to put pressure on the central defenders, forcing them wide. When the ball is played out wide, the team shuffles over to the ball’s side to squeeze the opposition in and win in those wide areas. The pressing is yet another key similarity between Van Nistelrooy's system and Ten Hag's. Both managers are always looking to unsettle their opponents with constant pressing, potentially leading to turnovers in favorable positions. This trend is likely to continue under Van Nistelrooy’s watch. 

What changes will he make to the team’s approach?

What Van Nistelrooy would be looking to do differently to his former mentor, however, would be to play at a higher tempo. At PSV, he set his team up to progress the ball as quickly as possible. Urging them to use the spaces between the lines to transition quickly and in as few touches as possible. Dutch attacking duo Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo were asked to play at a high pace, making it difficult for opponents to predict and maintain PSV's attacks. At United, Van Nistelrooy will look to sharpen the build-up and inject some much-needed urgency into the pass sequences. He will want to counter teams quickly, putting the strengths of his pacey wingers to good use, most especially on the left-hand side, an area he consistently looked to exploit in his time at PSV. He admitted in an interview with Gary Neville on his podcast “The Overlap” how relaxed and in control he feels when his sides have the ball as against being out of possession. This is the Dutchman's initial, foremost principle. He wants his sides to maintain possession and then architect plays for his team to be able to hurt the opposition.  

How He Is Likely To Set United Up

Ruud Van Nistelrooy is likely to maintain the structure of the system Ten Hag has left behind at the club. He may only look to alter the areas he feels have been a weakness to the team as well as adding his own touch to what is an already ideal system for him to operate with. 

Van Nistelrooy placed an emphasis on the left-hand side of PSV's attack. Gakpo was forced to invert in order to create space for the left-sided fullback Patrick van Aanholt to operate as a traditional winger. His crossing ability and willingness to run on and off the ball made him perfect for this role. This setup would benefit Marcus Rashford immensely, a player who plays his best football when operating in the left inside channel, a position he scored 30 goals during Ten Hag's first season at Old Trafford.

There is uncertainty as to who the best candidate to play as a left-back is under Van Nistelrooy. The current options of Diogo Dalot and new signing Noussair Mazraoui are both right-footed, and this will not suit how the interim boss would ideally want his team to play. Luke Shaw is still on the sidelines, but there is also the option of playing promising youngster Harry Amass, whose left foot would better suit Van Nistelrooy’s system. The striker and number 10 complement each other in the press whilst also providing a threat in and around the opposition’s box. The two holding midfielders work hand in hand to transition the ball up the field, win the ball back in the counter-press, and protect the back line.

In defense, Van Nistelrooy prefers operating a low block in a 4-4-2 formation. The goal here is to be compact and prevent the opponents playing through the lines. The two most forward players would press and cover-shadow the opposition's deep-lying midfielders in order to prevent teams from playing through the middle. This is something he will benefit from implementing at United as the side has struggled with organization so far this season.

Red Devils Armada Verdict:

Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s time as United caretaker manager will be interesting. In the past, we tend to see a bounce back from United sides who have had their head coach relieved of his duties. Look at the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer team, which went on an impressive winning run shortly after the Norwegian’s appointment. It was a winning run that ultimately earned him a new contract. A similar thing happened with Micheal Carrick when he took over. These instances insinuate the probability of history repeating itself. One thing’s for sure, though: It will not be easy for the former PSV Boss. However, many die-hard United fans hope a club legend can do well as a manager, as it is the quintessential football fairytale.