I've already seen more than one fan saying that van Nistelrooy is taking over with them a point above the relegation zone, which proves that the players are good enough to keep them up.
Yes, but they've repeatedly shown form for being a particularly special breed of supporter in the main, even in the context of your average football fanbase and accounting for our (or any other clubs) obvious and more specific negative bias.
Anyway I'm sure he'll have them comfortably safe by January, mathematics be damned, playing the fluid brand of world class fantasy stellarball they never have and battering everyone in sight, as per the minimum realistic requirement.