Carabao Cup draw host Pien Meulensteen carries legacy of father United legends adored

Pien Meulensteen, daughter of former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen, will host the Carabao Cup fourth-round draw following United’s clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Born in the Netherlands but raised in Manchester, Pien grew up watching her father spend 12 years at Old Trafford across two stints. His second tenure ran from 2007 to 2013, during which he served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team coach and contributed to four Premier League title wins.

Rene Meulensteen’s most celebrated season came in 2012/13 — United’s final title under Ferguson — when Robin van Persie credited the Dutchman directly for his prolific debut campaign. Van Persie scored 26 league goals that season, claiming his second consecutive Golden Boot, and was effusive in his praise midway through the year.

“The way he trains is exceptional. He is truly one of the best coaches in the world,” Van Persie said at the time. “We know exactly what to expect and he wins points for us through his training. We’ve won a lot of games by the odd goal and they are point winners, which we train for.”

Van Persie went on to describe how specific goals — including his strike against Chelsea after a Valencia cross and a cut-inside finish against Wigan — were the direct product of Meulensteen’s tailored training sessions. “It might seem a fluke but the whole week before the game was spent working on that move,” he explained.

Rio Ferdinand was equally emphatic in his assessment. Speaking in 2021, the former United captain named Meulensteen among the two coaches who shaped him most during his time at the club, alongside Carlos Queiroz.

“Rene was probably the balancing act for the manager — he was a bit of a maverick and would smell a situation and go with instincts,” Ferdinand said. “He was the best one-to-one coach I ever worked with.”

Meulensteen left United after the 2012/13 title-winning season and later managed Fulham. His daughter Pien has since built a career in broadcasting, and United supporters will be hoping her family connection to the club’s most successful era brings some fortune in the cup draw.