‘Leicester got worse under van Nistelrooy’published at 11:16 British Summer Time
Leicester relegated from the Premier League
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at King Power Stadium
There are unhappy and disconnected fans at Leicester, players accused of giving up, and a manager in Ruud van Nistelrooy who, despite his pedigree as a player, has seen the Foxes get worse on his watch.
When the Foxes sacked Steve Cooper in October they were 16th, although the cracks were there.
Cooper struggled to implement his style or connect with players. So, when Van Nistelrooy arrived, his honesty was welcomed, his methods and messages refreshing.
Yet, since the opening two games – a 3-1 win over West Ham and 2-2 comeback draw with Brighton in December – Leicester have won just four points.
The Foxes were more competitive under Cooper – who sacrificed his beliefs to try to find a way to survive – and they drew a blank just once in his 12 Premier League games.
That is in stark contrast to the lack of goals under Van Nistelrooy – a revered striker for Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Netherlands – and they have scored just six times in the league since the draw with Brighton on 8 December.
