Minutes after sealing a 5-2 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford in their first game since sacking manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United players applauded the fans in what was one of the most inexplicable scenes of the season.
Interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy also applauded the fans and celebrated the victory enthusiastically before heading down the tunnel.
Perhaps, this is a rare moment this season, the "Red Devils" are so happy. No need to worry about it being an easy win against a weak opponent like Leicester, any victory can help Man United at this time.
"Suddenly we had a bit of luck. That made it a great day today," Van Nistelrooy said after the match.
While Man United wait for Ruben Amorim to confirm Ten Hag's replacement, Van Nistelrooy and the players have tried their best to paint a picture of normality after Ten Hag's departure.
Usually, after a manager is fired, any team immediately feels elated. However, it seems that this feeling is only temporary. The mistakes that got the previous coach fired will soon return. The new "captain" will realize that the problem is that the players are not playing well enough.
That's the harsh reality of Man United's current situation. In fact, things have remained the same since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after delivering 13 Premier League titles in 20 years.
Van Nistelrooy becoming the ninth manager to take charge of United since Ferguson's departure is a sobering statistic. Ten Hag is the fifth permanent manager to lose his job at Old Trafford since Ferguson left, with Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Ralf Rangnick and Van Nistelrooy the other caretaker managers.
If Man United close the deal early with Amorim, victory over Leicester could be Van Nistelrooy's first and last game in charge. However, according to British media, the "Red Devils" need to be patient before negotiations with Sporting bear fruit.
But at least Van Nistelrooy delivered a win - United's fifth of the season. Ten Hag's poor form this campaign was the reason he was sacked. While Ten Hag's tactics and selections have become increasingly confusing, there is no doubt that many of his players have also underperformed.
There have been no major changes to the squad or tactics. The same players and squad have brought so many poor results and performances to Ten Hag. So it will take more than that to convince anyone that United are ready for a move up.
Amorim will know. He will watch Man United's games, study the data, find out which players can last and which players are past their prime.
