Leicester City's struggles continue to deepen under Ruud van Nistelrooy's leadership, as the team suffered their seventh consecutive Premier League defeat in a disappointing loss to Fulham at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
The 48-year-old Dutch manager, who took over from Steve Cooper in late November, faced vocal criticism from home supporters during the match. Fans expressed their disapproval with chants of "you don't know what you're doing" when Van Nistelrooy withdrew Bilal el Khannouss in the second half, shortly before Adama Traore doubled Fulham's lead amid a chorus of boos and jeers.
"You have to accept it and I am," Van Nistelrooy acknowledged when addressing the fans' reaction. "I'm making substitutions to impact the game. It can be in different areas, physical, profile of a player, the opposition." He defended his decision-making, stating, "It's not for the public to know. It's respect to the players who come on. They are valuable members of the squad and deserve minutes to help this team as well."
The situation at Leicester has deteriorated dramatically since Van Nistelrooy's promising start, which saw a 3-1 victory over West Ham in December. However, even that win masked underlying issues, with the Hammers managing an alarming 31 shots on goal. The defensive concerns have only worsened, with the Foxes conceding 20 goals while scoring just four times in eight league games.
The statistics paint a grim picture, with only four managers in Premier League history losing more games than Van Nistelrooy in their first nine matches: Mick McCarthy at Sunderland, Alan Ball at Manchester City, Jan Siewert at Huddersfield Town, and Paul Jewell at Derby County. The team now sits in 19th place, two points from safety having played an additional game compared to 17th-placed Wolves.
Despite the mounting pressure, there's no immediate panic within the club. Van Nistelrooy is working to transition the team back to a style similar to that of his friend Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester to Premier League promotion last season. However, questions remain about whether the current squad can effectively execute this approach in the top flight.
The manager faces a crucial period ahead, with upcoming fixtures against Tottenham and fellow strugglers Everton. As Van Nistelrooy admitted after the Fulham defeat, "Today was extremely disappointing because it wasn't good enough in all aspects of the game. We have to deal with it. We cannot change it. We have to face it. Don't feel sorry for anybody. We are professionals and we have to deal with it."
The former Manchester United striker's position could come under scrutiny if results don't improve soon, particularly given that his predecessor Cooper was dismissed after just twelve games, having lost only five matches. For now, Van Nistelrooy remains focused on his task: "We have to make sure that we perform so the crowd is up and supportive. That's our task."
