Van Nistelrooy vows Leicester ‘still in the fight’ to avoid drop
A repeat of that looks very unlikely this time.
Indeed their current situation is not as precarious. Back in 2014-15 they were rooted to the foot of the table for much of the season, only climbing off it in April as a run of seven wins from their final nine games took them to unexpected safety.
But this Leicester team looks barely capable of winning one game, let alone going on a run of victories, as Thursday’s 2-0 loss to West Ham left them five points adrift of safety.
“We are going to get up again,” vowed boss Ruud van Nistelrooy after the game.
“We are still in this fight, mathematically we are there and we keep fighting as long as we can.
“It must be clear that the fight was only one half today and that is not enough.”
Leicester sacked Steve Cooper on 24 November after a run of just 12 league games, but the change has not had anywhere near the impact the club would have hoped and the statistics make for concerning reading:
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The Foxes have lost 11 of their past 12 Premier League games (W1).
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In his 14 games in charge, Van Nistelrooy has picked up just seven points, three fewer than previous Foxes boss Cooper managed this season (10 in 12 games).
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No side has conceded more own-goals in the Premier League this season than Leicester City (three, level with West Ham and Wolves).
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Leicester have also failed to score in each of their past four Premier League games, last doing so in February 2017 (a run of six).
On Leicester’s struggles to score, Van Nistelrooy added: “If you play like this in the first half you are not going to score. We were not even close to scoring.
“In the second half we were much closer to score. At least you give yourself an opportunity.”
In Leicester’s favour, however, is time.
A five-point deficit is not insurmountable and they have 11 league games left – that’s 33 points to play for.
But their upcoming run of fixtures look tough with their next four games being trips to Chelsea and Manchester City and home matches against Manchester United and Newcastle.
Leicester defender Wout Faes says the players still believe they can stay up.
“Of course, there has to be belief,” the Belgian said.
“Weekend after weekend the games count down. I don’t think we have to think too much about going forward. We just have to think game by game and we have to start winning very soon because the games are counting down.”
Those who have watched some of their recent games, however, are not so optimistic.
Former Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon said on TNT Sports: “I hate to say it about any group of players but it is really hard to make a case for them on what we have seen.
“West Ham didn’t have to be anywhere near their best to win the game comfortably. There was zero quality, zero belief and the game just seemed to pass them by.”
“I think they are gone,” added former Chelsea forward Joe Cole. “I think them and Southampton are gone.
“How do you get these players to show some kind of spark from now to the end of the season?”
