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Despite receiving extensive backing in the summer window, Erik ten Hag just could not get Manchester United to start performing with the club enduring their worst start in 35 years.
And the defeat to West Ham, which left the Red Devils perilously close to the relegation zone, forced INEOS into action as they sacked the Dutchman and put assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy in charge on an interim basis.
The former club striker did a great job in steadying the ship, with the 20-time English league champions going on a four-match unbeaten run which included three emphatic wins.
The Old Trafford side are only four points off the top four with plenty of big-name stars returning to form under the interim manager, a huge boost for new head coach Ruben Amorim.
Ruud’s time at the club
The players wanted Van Nistelrooy to stay, and the ex-Netherlands star also expressed his wish to continue working under the Portuguese but Amorim decided otherwise.
He brought in six of his own staff from Sporting Lisbon and out went almost the entire backroom staff except Darren Fletcher and Andreas Georgson.
Van Nistelrooy’s record at United and PSV Eindhoven will stand him in good stead and it seems he could be in line for a shock return to England with Burnley interested in his services according to The Sun.
The Championship side had courted the 48-year-old in the summer, holding a few meeting with him as well, but the lure of returning to Old Trafford proved too difficult to turn down and he choose to join United as an assistant coach instead.
Now the Clarets, who are fourth in the table, could go back in for the Dutchman following significant fan unrest. Burnley have not won a game in their last four attempts and have scored only nine goals in their last 13 games.
Scott Parker, the current Burnley boss is under pressure and while owner Alan Pace is known to give his managers time, Van Nistelrooy’s availability could force a rethink if results do not improve.
“RUUD VAN NISTELROOY could be set for a quickfire return to football, SunSport has learned. His spell at the Red Devils, on top of his impressive season in charge of PSV, have seen his stocks rise and SunSport understands Burnley are interested.
Burnley again
“Their managerial hunt in the summer saw both Van Nistelrooy and Scott Parker as candidates – with the Clarets appointing the latter.
“Burnley could now look to revisit that situation if they feel they are heading in the wrong direction under Parker. Across Burnley’s last 13 league games since, they’ve only managed nine goals. A disgruntled Turf Moor could be beginning to turn on Parker despite them still sitting fourth in the table.”
Despite his stint as assistant, the former Real Madrid striker never hid his desire of returning to management and the challenge of taking back the Clarets to the Premier League could be too hard to turn down.
He could get the chance to manage in the English top-flight should he prove successful and it would send a telling message to INEOS and Amorim and remind them of his credentials.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images