LONDON: Ruud van Nistelrooy can be content but no more with his first week as interim manager of Manchester United. The assistant of sacked Erik ten Hag had guided them to the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek but they barely deserved a 1-1 home draw against Chelsea.

United remain 13th, in the bottom half of the Premier League, and the match video will provide eventual new manager Ruben Amorim with no doubt about the amount of work ahead of him. United were unimpressive and Chelsea will feel the draw was two points lost rather than one point gained.

Van Nistelrooy started with a 5:2 League Cup win against Leicester on Wednesday and will continue in charge against Paok in the Europa League and Leicester again in the Premier League. Amorim then takes over to launch another new start for United after the international break.

The Dutchman has said he would like to stay on the staff. His ‘local knowledge’ could be helpful for Amorim but the new men will bring five members of his backroom staff from Sporting. This is the reason United have paid €11m compensation rather than €10m and may consider keeping Van Nistelrooy an unnecessary luxury.

One recommendation to Amorim from Van Nistelrooy will be to keep faith with €42m summer signing Joshua Zirkzee. Van Nistelrooy says: “He’s a young player with a lot of potential and talent. With time he can get better and better and be a very big player for this club.”

United’s fans gave Van Nistelrooy a generous welcome before kickoff against a Chelsea team managed by an old Malaga team-mate from his playing days in Enzo Maresca. One strand of opinion was that United had been in such a hurry to land Amorim that they did not want to be embarrassed if Van Nistelrooy made a success of his caretaker appointment.

Memories linger at Old Trafford of the tenure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer whose reign started brightly as caretaker but faded after he was handed he permanent appointment.

The first half was evenly balanced. Chelsea started on the front foot, wanting to take advantage of any uncertainty in the United ranks. Only 13 minutes had gone when Noni Madueke, impeded by team-mate Wesley Fofana, headed a corner against a post. United, playing a standard 4-3-3, gradually forced their way back into the match. Ramus Hojlund proved a handful for the Chelsea defence, Bruno Fernandes shot wide and Marcus Rashford hit the bar on the stroke of halftime.

One of the greatest personnel challenges for Amorim will be reviving the career of Rashford who managed only seven league goals last season, including two penalties, and just one so far this term.

Maresca was the first manager to blink at halftime, bringing on Euro champion Marc Cucurella at leftback with captain Reece James switching to the right in place of Malo Gusto who was already under the pressure of a yellow card. The pattern of the first half was repeated. Chelsea’s Pedro Neto squandered an early chance before United sparked back into attacking life.

Fernandes was their most impressive player with his energy and prompting. He provided an assist which was wasted by Alejandro Garnacho before opening the scoring himself. Keeper Robert Sanchez brought down Hojlund and Fernandes shot United ahead from the penalty spot.

Van Nistelrooy leaped down the touchline, punching the air as if he had scored himself. But his joy lasted only four minutes. Chelsea forced a right wing corner, United failed to clear and Moises Caicedo, their own best player, shot low inside keeper Andre Onana’s right-hand post.

Just 12 points from 10 matches is United’s worst start to a Premier season with at least a minor consolation for Van Nistelrooy in that he remains unbeaten as manager.

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