Sir Alex Ferguson was in the stands for the first time since his £2million-a-year ambassadorial role at Manchester United was ended.
The legendary former manager was in attendance at Old Trafford for a thrill-a-minute first half clash with Leicester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round, with six goals on offer in 45 minutes.
It was also the first game since the departure of Erik ten Hag on Monday, following the club’s worst start to a Premier League campaign in their history.
Ferguson will step down from his lucrative role at the end of the season after new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to rip up his contract as part of a cost-cutting programme.
Mail Sport reported this month that Ferguson and other members of the club’s Football Board have also been told to stay away from the dressing room in a break with tradition.
Sir Alex Ferguson was spotted in the stands for the first time since his £2m-a-year ambassadorial role was ended
The legendary former boss had a great seat next to former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan as United thumped Leicester in the Carabao Cup
Ruud van Nistelrooy enjoyed a fantastic first game as interim boss of the Red Devils on Wednesday
Ferguson had a great view of his former side scoring four in a stunning first half of football.
Casemiro opened the scoring in sensational fashion, with a curling effort straight into the top corner from 25 yards.
Alejandro Garnacho then doubled the lead, before Leicester hit their first through Bilal El Khannouss on 33 minutes.
Three minutes later though Bruno Fernandes opened his account for the season to restore his side’s two-goal advantage, but there were still somehow two more strikes to come.
Casemiro grabbed his second of the game on 39 minutes, before Conor Coady ensured the Foxes were still within touching distance on the stroke of half-time to make it 4-2.
After the break, Fernandes was again on the scoresheet to make it 5-2 and join Casemiro on two goals for the game.
The decision to end Ferguson’s lucrative ambassadorial role has split opinions.
Writing in his Mail Sport column earlier this month, Graeme Souness suggested the decision was a ‘disgraceful move’ and highlighted that Man United’s minority owners Ineos ‘don’t understand how football really works’.
Mail Sport reported earlier this month how Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ended Ferguson’s ambassadorial role from the end of this season
Casemiro scored one of the goals of the season in the first half to open the scoring for United
Former United striker Eric Cantona was also a vocal critic of the move earlier in October.
Cantona said: ‘Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies.
‘Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of s***!’
