Leicestershire

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BBC Sport's John Bennett says Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy needs to use the extended gap between games to get the players "really working hard" to give the supporters "a bit of hope going into next season".

The Foxes are on a run of 13 defeats in their last 14 Premier League games, sit nine points from safety, and look all but condemned to an immediate return to the Championship.

However, FA Cup quarter finals being played this weekend means it will be 16 days between the defeat to Manchester United before the international break and their next fixture.

"This is a really long break and it's a tough one for a manager," Bennett told the When You're Smiling podcast.

"It's more than two weeks with the next game not until next Wednesday against Manchester City.

"You would hope Van Nistelrooy has given the players some time off but then got them back in and got them really working hard. You can't give up.

"What needs to happen between now and the end of the season is restoring a bit of pride because there is nothing at the moment for the Leicester fans to cling onto. There is no hope.

"It is really easy to get away tickets at the moment which tells me the fans have just lost all belief and hope. Even if they go down they need to show a bit of fight in these remaining games to give the fans something to cling onto so there is a bit of hope going into next season."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

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There are some questions that you are just not able to answer. Who is your favourite child? Daddy or chips?

But here is one that is easier: which player needs to do more for you in the closing stages of the season?

One name stands out. Well, stands, jumps and shouts, if I'm honest.

Belgian landmark the Manneken Pis' defending would be about as effective as Belgian defender Wout Faes' defending.

The centre-back got a zero rating for a recent display for his national team from a Belgian newspaper.

Forgive me for being a tad naive, but aren't central defenders supposed to tackle?

In the two games against Brentford this season he did not make one. In fact, in the past 365 days, he has made just 41 tackles.

In that time, Faes has played 35 league games in two divisions, meaning his average is just 1.17 tackles per game. He has made 28 interceptions and 28 clearances, both fewer that one per game on average.

I will concede that his blocks and clearances were better - with 88 and 89 respectively - but I think we can see where he needs to improve.

Find more from Chris Forryan at Leicester Till I Die, external