Man United 3-0 Leicester: Ruud van Nistelrooy bows out on a high as Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho score either side of an own goal in final game before Ruben Amorim’s arrival

Ruud van Nistelrooy walked to the centre circle and basked in the adulation of Old Trafford as Manchester United manager one last time.

Then he went right up to the Stretford End and returned the applause from fans who had spent much of the second half singing his name, before disappearing down the tunnel. Over to you, Ruben.

‘It was a beautiful moment to be able to share that with the supporters,’ said Van Nistelrooy. ‘This block of four games felt like a closure and the future is open.’

It remains to be seen what happens next for Van Nistelrooy, but we shouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

He is expected to meet with Ruben Amorim to discuss the possibility of a role in the new set-up when United’s head coach arrives in Manchester on Monday.

Fernandes opened the scoring in the first half after Amad Diallo’s clever backward flick

Ruud van Nistelrooy saluted the Old Trafford crowd in the final match of his interim spell

It’s hard to see where the Dutchman fits in if Amorim does indeed bring five of his back-room staff from Sporting, but it would be nice to think there is a place for him.

After all, United have hardly been spoilt for success over the last decade. A man who knows a thing or two about the club, and has put together a four-match unbeaten run as interim boss, ought to be worth keeping around.

Van Nistelrooy will hand over the reins with a record of three wins and a draw, making him technically the most successful manager in United’s history with a 75 per cent win ratio. Eleven goals scored, three conceded. It’s one reason for Amorim to keep him on board. On the other hand, it’s a good reason to have him as far away as possible.

‘When I started as an interim, it was to stabilise and put in little tweaks,’ added Van Nistelrooy. ‘That’s where you start to get your own bit of identity in. There is a foundation in the last four games of strong unity and good spirit.’

In fairness, all four of his games since taking over from Erik ten Hag have been at Old Trafford. Two of them have been against Leicester and one against modest European opponents in PAOK Salonika. The draw came against Chelsea.

Amorim will kick off against Ipswich in the less friendly environs of Portman Road after the international break, and will not have the comfort of home advantage.

Still, he inherits a team high on confidence if not high in the Premier League. This victory wasn’t enough to lift United out of 13th place.

Van Nistelrooy has only been in charge for a couple of weeks, but wherever you look in this United team there are some signs of improvement.

Fernandes took aim from the edge of the box and picked out the bottom corner with aplomb

United’s captain played a role in the second goal with his flick deflecting off Victor Kristiansen

Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was helpless as Fernandes’ effort took a wild nick

Amad Diallo, for one, is enjoying a new lease of life and delivered another vibrant performance here after his two-goal exploits against PAOK on Thursday.

Casemiro again looked more like his old self before he walked off gingerly towards the end, and Manuel Ugarte is starting to find his feet alongside the Brazilian in midfield. United are attacking with purpose and defending leads better than they ever did under the old manager.

No-one has picked up quite like Bruno Fernandes, though. The United captain admitted that he phoned Ten Hag to apologise for letting him down, having failed to score in any of the Dutchman’s last 17 games stretching back to April.

His opener against Leicester on Sunday was his fourth in the four games under Van Nistelrooy. He was only denied a fifth because United’s second goal before half-time was credited as an own-goal to Victor Kristiansen. The Portugal star also celebrated his 250th appearance for United with an assist on Alejandro Garnacho’s third goal.

The first, in the 17th minute, owed much to the tenacity of Diallo after a Leicester corner was cleared towards halfway. Kristiansen was the last man and favourite to get to the bouncing ball ahead of the 5ft 8in Ivorian, but Amad had the advantage of a run-up and rose highest.

United broke forward to win a throw-in, Noussair Mazraoui playing the ball to Fernandes. He fed it to Diallo who returned the favour with a backheel, and Fernandes curled a shot wide of Mads Hermansen and into the bottom corner. It was his 83rd goal for United in those 250 games.

Leicester missed the penetration of Jamie Vardy – out with a back injury – but still had their moments, even though Wilfred Ndidi’s attempt to beat Andre Onana from inside his own half wasn’t one of them.

Captain Harry Winks had just finished screaming at Ndidi when Facundo Buonanotte played the Nigerian clean through and well onside with a clever pass, but Onana was equal to him again as he came out to save one-on-one.

Substitute Alejandro Garnacho bent home United’s third goal to add gloss to the scoreline

Andre Onana denied Wilfried Ndidi from close range to preserve his clean sheet

Diallo impressed after being handed a second consecutive start by Van Nistelrooy

One young supporter held up a placard urging Van Nistelrooy to stay ahead of kick-off

United took a firm grip on the game with a second goal seven minutes before half-time. They moved the ball around until it reached Mazraoui on the left and his inswinging cross picked out Fernandes on the edge of the six-yard box.

It should have been a simple enough header, but the ball actually came off his right thigh and took a deflection off the hapless Kristiansen on its way into the net.

We had to wait until the 82nd minute for another goal. Two of the substitutes were involved as Christian Eriksen released Fernandes with a clever pass close to his own penalty box, and he broke upfield before feeding Garnacho on the left.

The Argentina winger’s finishing has been off in recent weeks, but there was nothing wrong with this one as he cut inside before beating Hermansen with a scintillating effort.

The subdued celebration was that of a young man who isn’t feeling the love of the fans at the moment. Steve Cooper knows how that feels. The Leicester boss copped some flak from the away supporters who also booed their team.

‘I have to accept it is a 3-0 defeat and you are not going to cheered off,’ said Cooper. ‘I have no problem with any fans’ reaction, good or bad.’