Ruud van Nistelrooy enjoyed a winning start as Manchester United’s interim manager as his side thrashed Leicester to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Two days after Van Nistelrooy was appointed as stand-in following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, his pre-match demand for entertainment was met in full.

Casemiro started the fun with a sensational long-range strike and by half-time the Brazilian had another as he followed up an initial header that bounced off both posts by driving home from eight yards.

In between those efforts, Alejandro Garnacho fired home his fifth goal of the season and skipper Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick deflected in off Leicester full-back James Justin.

It wasn’t perfect from the hosts as old defensive frailties returned to allow Bilal El Khannouss and Conor Coady to score before half-time. The latter effort came after the ball had struck Diogo Dalot and bounced invitingly for the former England man to apply the first-time finish.

But in front of Sir Alex Ferguson, back at Old Trafford for the first time since being told he was being stripped of his paid ambassadorial role, and United’s powerbrokers who are aiming to replace Ten Hag with Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, the hosts always had an element of control.

Fernandes added a fifth on 59 minutes when he took maximum advantage of Caleb Okoli’s under-hit backpass.

United will travel to face Tottenham in the quarter-finals, with that tie lined up for the week commencing 16 December.