Ruud van Nistelrooy explains what pleased him most about Man United's players vs Leicester

Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has said his players reacted 'exactly as Manchester United players should' after they comfortably dispatched of Leicester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

United, in their first game since the sacking of Erik ten Hag, made light work of the Foxes, winning 5-2, to book a quarter-final date with Tottenham Hotspur in the capital next month.

Van Nistelrooy instructed his players to play on the front foot and deliver a performance that would excite the fans. Scoring four goals by half-time, they produced the kind of response he was looking for after a testing few days for everyone associated with the club.

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Ahead of overseeing Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford, Van Nistelrooy, penning his programme notes, has said he was delighted with the attitude and application of the players, adding that it was a 'privilege' for him to lead the team.

"On a personal note, it was obviously a huge thrill and privilege for me to manage the team, especially at a packed Old Trafford, and I will always remember that as a special night in my life," said Van Nistelrooy.

"More important, however, was the team's performance; on the night, the players provided the right reaction to the situation. After the way the season had started in general, and the events of the past week in particular, it was great to see the team react exactly as Manchester United players should: they stood up, rose to the challenge and showed everyone their capabilities.

"They all gave everything for the