Back in November, Ruben Amorim had the opportunity to work alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy at Manchester United, but instead chose to stick with his trusted backroom staff and parted with the legendary striker, who had done a fine job holding the fort as interim manager between Erik ten Hag being fired and Amorim starting work.
Fast-forward two-and-a-half months, and the two coaches will meet for the first time as opponents as United host Leicester City in Friday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie, which has turned out to be a meeting of two of the worst teams in the top flight – and thus two of its most embattled managers.
Van Nistelrooy has lost eight of his 11 league games in charge of the Foxes while winning just twice, meaning they occupy the final relegation spot, sat two points from safety. United, meanwhile, are only doing marginally better, losing seven of their 11 games in the same period under Amorim and sitting in 13th.
Neither coach seems suited at all to the circumstances of their current clubs, and given what has happened at United in the last two months, it is difficult to not venture that the Red Devils made a big mistake by not keeping Van Nistelrooy in charge until the end of season before getting Amorim on board in the summer.