Ruud van Nistelrooy always promised goals for Manchester United. There were 36 in his first season as a player, 44 in his second. There were seven in his first game as their interim manager, five of them for United. The third-lowest scorers in the Premier League, United discovered a prolific streak under him. If it is to prove his lone evening in charge of United, what a night for him.

It was a nostalgia trip when Van Nistelrooy headed down the tunnel at half-time to be serenaded by the Stretford End. The choruses of his name, the guttural growls of “Ruud”, may have transported them back to 2003, to a happier time, and if United can forever seek solace in their past, when actually needing to escape it, this was an enjoyable interlude before Ruben Amorim’s tenure begins, assuming it does and depending on when it actually starts.

Manchester United transfers 24/25

2) Manuel Ugarte – €50m

3) Matthijs de Ligt – €45m

4) Joshua Zirkzee – €42.5m

5) Noussair Mazraoui – €15m

“Without a doubt, without a doubt,” Amorim admits when asked if his players would be mad with him for leaving. “But I don’t interfere in the players’ lives. Now I talk to the players, because I’m Sporting coach. I want to do well for the group.

“I talked to the board about how we are going to manage the squad. But without a doubt my players will be, if I leave, they will be disappointed in me and sad with me. But it’s part of life.

“That happened with me already in Braga. When I came from Braga, from Braga’s stability to here, that happened a little.

“And they were a little disappointed, because they really believed that we were building something special. But then things happen that change people’s lives. And so, it’s a difficult situation.

“I can’t give you more than that. I understand that the players are even disappointed, sad. But I have to live with it. And the important thing is that we reach the end and know how to explain everything.

“Whether people understand it or not, the important thing is to come forward and explain it. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

“We haven’t got to that part. The club talks to another club, is talking to another club, and then you take the next step with the coach.

“And whether I want to go or not, I’ll say later. That’s the decision we’re talking about here. I won’t say.”

Amorim took charge of Sporting CP in March 2020, as a 35-year-old coach with only two months’ experience managing in the Portuguese top flight. He inherited a giant club without a league title in 18 years, in disarray on and off the field after the exits of key players Raphinha, Bas Dost and Bruno Fernandes – ironically now set to be his captain at Old Trafford.

Amorim quickly set about imprinting his own football identity. In his first full season in charge, his young side set a league record 32-game unbeaten run on their way to winning the Primeira Liga, ending the long duopoly of Porto and Benfica. Sporting lost only one league game all season, against Benfica, after already securing the title.

Rubem Amorim’s Manchester United could look immediately very different to Erik ten Hag’s.

Since last season, Sporting have the fourth-highest defensive line from the major leagues in Europe with 45.20m, with Man City top with 46.70m.

Arsenal sit sixth on 44.70m away from goal and Liverpool are 10th on 44.20m.

The Red Devils, under Ten Hag in that time, sit 41.70m away from goal.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has revealed he was shocked when Manchester United approached him to return to Old Trafford in the summer and said he is making sacrifices he would not for any other club.

Van Nistelrooy was added to Ten Hag’s coaching staff as an assistant manager in July, though he admitted they did not know each other before then.

What we know so far as Manchester United try to prise Ruben Amorim from Sporting:

“We have to wait a little bit more to explain what I need to explain, then it will be very clear,” says Ruben Amorim. “Yes, it is my decision, I will tell everything, we have to wait. I don’t know [how long].”

Pushed over whether he will be at Old Trafford for Man Utd v Chelsea on Sunday, Amorim maintains he will still be in Portugal.

“I will be here [at Sporting].”