Leicester City

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It is a matter of when and not if Leicester return to the Championship after a season which has lurched from crisis to desperation.

Eight straight defeats without scoring, no home league goals since 8 December and 15 points adrift of safety with 21 left available.

Monday's 3-0 defeat by Newcastle leaves them staring at the drop, which could come as early as 20 April when they host leaders Liverpool.

Even with seven games left the post mortem of the season can already start, with Ruud van Nistelrooy's future the first topic on the agenda.

He swerved questions about it after the game, only saying: "The most important thing is the club and these players, that's what I would say for now."

The Dutchman's honesty had been welcomed by the squad and his methods, along with assistant Brian Barry-Murphy, were refreshing, but it has not worked.

After a season at PSV and four games as Manchester United caretaker, Van Nistelrooy may have put the time in at youth level and as a national coach with the Netherlands but he has been unable to prove himself at Leicester.

The Foxes gambled having fired Steve Cooper when they were 16th in the table in November, the former manager's reputation remaining intact as Leicester were far more competitive under him.

Van Nistelrooy is fortunate the fans have slipped into apathy, feeling disconnected with a club where the hierarchy rarely speaks to them.

Supporters are so resigned they have not had the energy to turn on him, instead focusing their attention on director of football Jon Rudkin.

They view him as central to the decline of the club and, after what will be a damaging relegation, change looks to be needed at King Power Stadium.

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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes Leicester City "thought relegation was impossible" when they most recently went down in 2023, having enjoyed enormous success in previous seasons.

The Foxes posted a pre-tax loss of £19.4m for the period ending June 2024, during which time they were promoted back to the top flight - but they look almost certain to be relegated again this season.

"Leicester have got themselves into a pickle," Maguire told a special BBC Radio 5 Live phone-in on life at the bottom of the Premier League.

"They seem to have budgeted to finish eighth in the Premier League each season. In the year they were relegated, they didn't appear to have relegation clauses embedded into contracts.

"Based on my figures, the average salary that year was £91,000 per week - that is not possible to deal with.

"They are the only club in the history of the Premier League to have paid more money out in wages than they have brought in in revenue, which is not a trophy that you want to keep.

"On a qualitative basis there were errors made and I think there was a complacency and arrogance about the club, in the sense that they thought that relegation was impossible. If you go around with that mentality then that becomes a risk which can become a self-fulfilling prophecy."

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We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Leicester and Newcastle.

Here are some of your comments:

Leicester fans

Nigel: As a Leicester fan for over 40 years, this is the worst team I've ever seen. We have no one willing to go forward. We pass it around at the back too much. Ruud van Nistlerooy can't lift the players and is way out of his depth. We will struggle next season in the Championship.

John: No passion, no belief and no sense of a will to win. It's time to drain the swamp at Leicester. It's not Van Nistelrooy's fault.

Michael: Another spineless and totally unacceptable display. I have watched Leicester City since 1956 and this side is easily the worst of all the relegated teams. Very, very poor. No pride or effort shown. It will be tough next season to stay in the Championship unless major changes are made.

James: Just goes from bad to worse. The whole club needs a clearout. I despair as to next season because the fans have lost faith in this bunch of players and with this manager they are clueless.

Dino: It's just repeat, repeat, repeat. Van Nistelrooy has to go now. Nothing is going to change our destination but watching this every week is painful. A clearout from top to bottom is needed.

Newcastle fans

Nick: It's hard to criticise the team when they win 3-0, but I didn't think we played that well. It felt like playing such a bad team rubbed off on us. We had a good 10-minute spell at the start, but after that I thought the passing was sloppy and generally play lacked creativity. That Leicester team was ripe for a hammering and we let them off the hook.

Matt: A very comfortable win against a poor Leicester side. Never needed to get out of second gear. Could have easily scored more but prioritised preserving our energy for the final push for Champions League places.

Ernie: We did enough to beat a poor Leicester side but we didn't need to raise our game too much. Pleased to see Jacob Murphy getting the credit he deserves. Harvey Barnes did well too.

Jon: Newcastle won without getting out of second gear and probably missed a chance to further boost their goal difference which could be important at the end of the season. Alexander Isak looked anonymous and probably should have been rested.

Mike: We control our own destiny. Win our last eight games and we will be in the Champions League. Five of our last eight are at home so winning them is certainly possible.

How does a promoted team stay in the Premier League?

Is it about style? Or does over-spending become a tempting proposition in a bid to stay out of the bottom of three?

Is it all about unearthing transfer "jewels"?

Take a look at a clip below or listen to the Monday Night Club debate in full here

Leicester City are set to sack manager Ruud van Nistelrooy after a run of nine straight defeats. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, speaking to BBC Match of the Day after defeat to Newcastle: "Very difficult, especially after 33 minutes. We lost another game starting with the best intentions. We lost another early goal. It's very disappointing and worrying.

"It's a big challenge. We all know the run of form we're in. It's extremely difficult. Especially if there aren't points to build on.

"The most difficult thing is we are in a place for such a long time and there are no results.

"We want to show what we're about and show our qualities but we aren't able to.

"I want the club to do well. The club is first and that is something to consider. It is hard because I came to the club to help it forward, but it is clear there haven't been enough results to get points on the board and that's not good enough."

Did you know?

• Ruud van Nistelrooy is only the second manager in Premier League history to lose eight successive home games in the competition, after Daniel Farke in September 2021 with Norwich City.

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist

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Things just continue to go from bad to worse for Leicester as they move even closer to relegation from the Premier League.

Their fate is not yet mathematically sealed, but it is just a matter of weeks until it will be confirmed they will be playing Championship football next season.

After a bright start from Jamie Vardy in the opening 20 seconds, things quickly went downhill as Jacob Murphy latched on to Tino Livramento's fine cross to make it 1-0.

Murphy then quickly made it 2-0 after tracking the rebound from Fabian Schar's attempted goal of the season from inside his own half.

To rub salt into Leicester's wounds, former Foxes winger Harvey Barnes netted the third in what was a rampant first half from Eddie Howe's side.

For Leicester, they made their way into the history for all the wrong reasons as they became the first side in Football League history to lose eight home league games in a row without scoring.

On top that, Leicester also became the first in the club's history to lose 11 games at home in a single league campaign in their 141-year history.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Leicester's performance

What did you make of Newcastle's display?

Come back to this page on Tuesday to find a selection of your replies

Leicester should have been relegated immediately for what they did at Etihad Stadium last Wednesday.

For a team who are desperate for a win, they showed absolutely zero attacking intent even when they went two goals down.

All they were interested in was building a wall and just stopping Manchester City. I felt sorry for their travelling fans because the team offered no threat whatsoever, and didn't even try to score.

I can understand that everyone has a gameplan, but usually that changes when you go a goal or two behind. At 2-0, however, Leicester took their star striker Jamie Vardy off to put another midfielder on.

That tells you where Leicester are at right now - it felt like they were waving the white flag and going for damage limitation, rather than thinking they might as well give it a go and risk conceding more goals.

We know how nervy Manchester City have been this season, and Leicester caused them problems when they had a go at them at King Power Stadium at the end of last year.

This time, there was none of that. They were pretty pathetic and you have got to question what their manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was thinking.

His team have lost their past seven league games and have not scored in any of them, and it is even longer since they managed a point or a league goal at home.

That is not going to change here. Newcastle got an important win over Brentford in midweek to show there was no hangover from their Carabao Cup celebrations.

Even if they hit the hotel mini-bar again on Sunday night, it wouldn't matter - they would still beat Leicester.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Sheffield Wednesday's German boss Danny Rohl is a possible target for Leicester City next season, if current manager Ruud van Nistelrooy leaves the club in the summer. (Mail), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game at home against Newcastle at King Power Stadium (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Van Nistelrooy confirmed he has no new injuries to contend with after Wednesday's defeat at Manchester City.

• He is happy to have Riccardo Pereira back available: "With the injuries that he's had we are careful with him. He had a hamstring injury after he came back already. Now he's back after only two days training. Monday is soon but he's someone we're very happy is available and can make an impact. But, as a starter, it's quite early."

• On the remainder of the season: "We have to get up. It's my responsibility to do my job the best I can for the last eight games. I don't look further on. It's hard enough to keep the spirits up and everyone together because it's not going well. We are a team and we stick together. If we do that we have a chance of results."

• When asked if the Foxes' financial statement on Wednesday could have impacted the team, Van Nistelrooy said: "I don't see that relation. We are purely focused on the games and it's difficult enough to keep our spirits up in the space we are in. I don't think it was a distraction. Of course, the financial situation of the club is of influence for future strategies."

• On how he is dealing with such a difficult run: "It's something that I feel I want to go through with the team, the squad and the staff. Stay together and stay connected. Fight through this as people. We need to give everything every day to get out of this. It is not something I want to walk away from. I want to fight every day. We will fight until the end."

• On the challenge posed by Newcastle: "It's clear the momentum they are in. First trophy for 50 years so you can imagine what a milestone they achieved and how proud they made the fans. They are part of the history of Newcastle - that is a tremendous boost in confidence and belief."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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We asked for your views on Manchester City's win over Leicester City in the Premier League.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Gene: This wasn't much of a match against a team destined for relegation that sat back and seemed to just want the final whistle. Josko Gvardiol looks comfortable on the inside with Ruben Dias and I would've liked to have seen Oscar Bobb earlier. A win is a win, but there should've been more goals against a much weaker opponent.

Brian: Man City got the job done. Yes Leicester are a poor side at present and their mistakes in possession gave City the opportunities to score but City were sharper than in previous games.

John: Good in the first half, but second half lacked the same intensity.

Leicester fans

Michael: We line up like a bunch of coconuts and sit there waiting to be knocked down. No passion, no endeavour, no shots, no ideas and no hope. I love my team but sadly my team does not love the badge it wears. I truly cannot remember a Leicester team in the past 40 years that week after week comes up with spineless clueless performances.

Kerry: Utter dross. No points, no goals, same formation and starting XI. Sorry Ruud, but you've lost the plot completely and you're totally out of your depth. We need a goal so at half time you take a striker off and sub him with a holding midfielder. Patson Daka up front on his own? He's National League quality!

Glenn: Awful display, totally devoid of ideas and the usual mistakes cost us again. We are in freefall and know that we are down - but to go down in such a fashion with not even an ounce of care is unforgivable.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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After starting the game at Manchester City as the Leicester captain, Jamie Vardy looked less than impressed as he took his seat at the back of the dugout after being replaced at half-time by midfielder Oliver Skipp.

And the response from Foxes fans on social media to the removal of a striker in favour of a defensive midfielder at 2-0 down was predictably negative.

Yet, like many decisions Ruud van Nistelrooy has made since replacing Steve Cooper as manager part way through the season, it was akin to shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

Deep in the second half, it seemed a moral victory when the visitors got numbers into the home side's box and the ball bounced in the six-yard area, but it was easily dealt with.

The nearest Leicester came to ending their wait for a goal came early in the opening period, when they were already behind, as Bilal El Khannouss attempted a curling effort from just outside the penalty area. For a brief moment it looked as though it might go in, but it did not bend enough and drifted wide.

Manchester City have now recorded seven straight league wins against Leicester, so the Foxes do not need to be as bad as they were here for Pep Guardiola's side to beat them.

But while there is over a fifth of the campaign to go and, mathematically, nothing is certain, it is impossible to see how this miserable season can end in anything other than relegation, which could easily be confirmed before April is at an end.

The latest episode of the When You're Smiling podcast has landed.

Former Foxes assistant manager Michael Appleton joins the podcast to rake over Leicester's defeat at Manchester City.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from nine midweek Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

• Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man Utd

• Liverpool 1-0 Everton

• Newcastle 2-1 Brentford

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Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, speaking to Sky Sports: "Bad start. Concede early and then a second at 29 minutes. Then we have to control to make sure it's not three or four at half-time.

"Not scoring, losing games, bad start is extra hard to recover from. Situation we're in, only by hard work can we get out. The gap is huge now it's a challenge. Nevertheless we have eight games to play and we have to represent ourselves in the best possible way and that's a challenge."

On difficulty of not scoring when a goalscorer himself: "Ironic isn't it? Hard for all of us. We're working, trying things. We want to improve, the two goals we conceded are our own mistakes and you can't afford that especially away at City. Scoring goals is a problem, the ball doesn't seem to go in.

"Today, before the game, I mentioned it because the gap was already big. I asked the players that the remaining moments we have at this level we have to make the most of it no matter the table or the score in the game. We have to go from first to last minute and give it everything.

"We can be real about it, 12 points eight games to play. It's a very big difference, too much. Focus on game to game and presenting ourselves in the best possible way. That is the main target now."

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Leicester City have conceded the first goal in 25 of their 30 Premier League games this season - the outright most times a team has conceded first in their opening 30 matches of a Premier League campaign, surpassing Ipswich's record from 1994-95 (24).

They are also now without a clean sheet in their past 23 league games this season - the longest run without a shutout in a single top-flight campaign since a run of 30 for Wolves in 2011-12.