Manchester United players have a point to prove (Picture: MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Manchester United?s Carabao Cup tie with Leicester City was always going to draw considerable interest but it certainly wasn?t the most attractive fixture on Wednesday’s schedule.

Manchester City?s trip to Tottenham looked more appealing, so did Liverpool?s jolly to the south coast for a tough tie with Brighton and Chelsea?s tricky visit to Tyneside for a renewal with Newcastle just three days after the Blues beat the Magpies 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Of course, those games have sunk back into the shadows with the spotlight now firmly on Old Trafford following the decision to sack Erik ten Hag as United?s manager following the 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday.
The ex-Ajax coach was left flummoxed by a debatable injury-time penalty which gave the Hammers all three points but in truth it was another poor performance in which his team wasted numerous opportunities to wrap up victory before the interval.

Former Netherlands and United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy is the interim manager but Sporting coach Ruben Amorim, who was in the conversation when Liverpool and Chelsea were seeking new bosses in the summer, is no bigger than 1/5 with Ladbrokes, Coral, Paddy Power and Betfair to be handed the job on a permanent basis.

United?s underachievers, especially those brought in by Ten Hag, are playing for their Old Trafford futures this week and the Foxes, who would have made th...