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Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper says Ruud van Nistelrooy's side looked "so shot of confidence" in their 3-0 defeat by Manchester United, as the Foxes recorded their 13th loss in their past 14 games.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Piper said: "When you're losing all of these games, the confidence goes. You just feel like you can't buy a win and you are never going to win again.

"When you start feeling like that, you start making decisions that you would never normally make as a player that is confident in their ability and in their team-mates' ability.

"I think we saw that a number of times against Manchester United. For the first goal Wout Faes - an international defender - was defending like a six-year-old.

"The reason why I use that terminology is because when you're teaching a six-year-old how to play football, and defend in particular, that is what a six-year-old would do without any coaching.

"They would sort of just keep running back towards their own goal, let the opposition player just run through, and let them shoot cleanly into the corner. It is a decision made through a huge lack of confidence.

"Earlier this season, we were saying that Faes was making mistakes and walking around with his chest out and shoulders up, so we were thinking it was arrogance - but I don't think that anymore.

"The other player I would pick out is Patson Daka. When he tried that turn in the first half, I have never ever seen something like that.

"I'm not trying to put the kid down, but you only do that when you have zero confidence left. It was also shown in some of his finishing against Manchester United."

Piper said he has adopted a new outlook on Leicester's recent performances, adding: "I'm not angry when I watch these performances anymore because I'm watching a group that has a huge lack of quality and are so devoid of confidence it is untrue.

"I would even say that about the manager - I don't think he knows what to do. I was also looking over to where the board sit and people were sitting there with embarrassed looks on their faces."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Kate Blakemore
Fan writer

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A day that ends in 'Y'. A night that follows day. A score line that includes 'Leicester City - Nil'.

Since our last home goal on 8 December, the aggregate score line across those seven home matches that followed is an astounding 0-18! We are setting unenviable records and the bumpy ride we have experienced since being back in the top division has now led to the wheels well and truly coming off.

We haven't witnessed a goal at home in over 100 days and have only scored nine times in Ruud van Nistelrooy's tenure of 16 league games, with just four in the last 14.

Van Nistelrooy has tried a change in formation in the last two matches and while Patson Daka has been brought in to assist Jamie Vardy, he was played more as a winger, so the 'two up top' was a red herring that served only to hamper us further.

Even with 10 minutes to go and 3-0 down at home against Manchester United, we were still playing with five at the back with only like-for like substitutes made. Ruud has confirmed on separate occasions that we don't have the quality to compete at this level, but the real question is: does he?

Following Steve Cooper's sacking, our next appointment was crucial and had to be approached with care and diligence. The demands of a relegation scrap are not for the faint hearted nor inexperienced and Ruud appears totally out of his depth.

It would be a dramatic roll of the dice if we were to change managers again this season, but for the sake of a summer rebuild and the need for a safe pair of hands, I do think this option has to be firmly on the table.

To have not scored in the league since 26 January is enough to concede defeat and accept that we got it wrong (again) and relegation is upon us. But I would like us to score again this season – is that too much to ask?

Find more from Kate Blakemore at Leicester Till I Die, external

After seven straight defeats at the King Power without scoring and 13 defeats out of 14 overall, things are looking pretty dismal for Leicester. Where do they go from here?

We are giving you the opportunity to ask BBC Sport football news reporter Nick Mashiter your Leicester questions and we'll put a selection to him later this week.

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Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Leicester fans are numb to their struggles now.

At the final whistle of Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester Untied, The King Power Stadium was barely a third full. Those who remained could hardly muster a jeer.

A new top flight record - not just in the Premier League - of seven straight home defeats without scoring, added to their wretched run of losing 13 of their last 14 games.

The banner 'from dogs of war to doggy daycare' showed the dissent towards the Foxes' board. It was a snappy flag and has a point but it was all too fleeting, with the fanbase resigned to their fate.

An immediate return to the Championship is now growing ever closer with Ruud Van Nistelrooy's side nine points from safety with nine games left.

A repeat of their great escape in 2015, which paved the way for the stunning title success a year later, is highly unlikely.

Ultimately, the squad is not good enough. They are worse than the squad relegated in 2023.

The financial constraints meant Van Nistelrooy was unable to spend sufficiently - only bringing in defender Woyo Coulibaly from Parma for around £3m in January.

It has meant - despite all the squad's respect for the manager's honesty and clarity at the training ground - he has lost 14 of his 18 games since replacing Steve Cooper in November.

The case for Leicester is bleak and the Championship beckons.