Leicester City

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Leicester forward Jamie Vardy spoke to BBC Match of the Day after scoring against Southampton: "The main thing is breaking a cycle. Not scoring at home for a while and we know we needed to get that done especially with the situation we are in and hopefully we can improve and take that momentum into next season. That's all we can do.

"It's tough. It's not like we have not given our all. It hasn't clicked, it's been one of the seasons. The gap being promoted to the Premier League now is probably the biggest it has ever been so it's even more difficult."

On playing for Leicester for 13 years: "It's been everything. You saw what I put out there. It's been mine and my family's life for 13 years. We've been taken in for by the fans and the whole city and it has meant every single thing to me personally. Hopefully with those numbers, that's me repaying them.

"When it's been your life for that long and you see the comradery with the fans and my team-mates for the last 13 years, it's been unbelievable."

On being thought of as Leicester's best player: "There have been a lot of unbelievable players for this club so to be mentioned like that is a really nice feeling. There's still a few more games where hopefully there can be a few more numbers added."

On blowing the referee's whistle: "I saw Southampton breaking down the left and with the ref down I thought I'll blow his whistle to stop the game."

On his future: "I couldn't tell you at this moment in time. I am enjoying my football and I need a nice break to mentally, especially, and physically fully refresh and then we'll see where that goes."

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Ruud van Nistelrooy spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Leicester's victory against Southampton: "It feels great to win and be back to winning ways. It was a long time, especially a home win. We wanted to end this cycle and end the season with some positivity. If there was one player to break this cycle, it had to be Jamie [Vardy]. Goal number 199. Very important for him and the team to get us in front.

"He [Vardy] is lethal. We know with this home cycle without a win, it has been difficult especially with a striker like him in the team. We knew we were creating and now the two [goals] went in and that gave us a big lift.

"Everything comes to an end and for him it is clear he wants to move on. He wants to close this in the best way possible and that's what we have to respect. The most important thing is to look back at his career here, at his games, his goals at the trophies that he wants. The crowd start realising it is the farewell tour of Jamie. With Forest and Ipswich to come for him to hopefully score his 200th goal."

On young talent in squad: "It's shaping the future what we're working on. That's what you saw today. Homegrown players who take responsibility for this club. It's exciting."

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Jamie Vardy's strike was Leicester's first home league goal since December (Bobby De Cordova-Red v Brighton), ending the Foxes run of 826 minutes without scoring at the King Power Stadium.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Leicester's performance

What did you make of Southampton's display?

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

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Aston Villa v Fulham (12:30)

• Everton v Ipswich Town - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leicester City v Southampton

• Arsenal v Bournemouth (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Leicester have been rotten but, somehow, Southampton have been even worse.

It is sad to see Jamie Vardy leaving the Foxes at the end of the season, but maybe this might be the send-off he deserves. I am going with him to score the winner.

These two teams actually served up a thriller at St Mary's Stadium back in October, when Vardy got one of Leicester's goals as they fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

I am expecting the same outcome here, just with a lot less excitement. The readers will go for a draw, I am sure of it, but I am pretty confident about Leicester taking this one.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Alex Fletcher
BBC Sport journalist

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With just four games to go in the Premier League this season relegation has been decided.

For the second season in a row, all three promoted clubs have been sent straight back down, and 14 points separates those in the relegation zone and 17th placed West Ham.

Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town have just 10 wins between them this season, and there is still a chance that the Saints finish the campaign as the joint-worst Premier League team of all time.

But where did it all go wrong?

A struggle to survive

According to Opta, this is the worst combined points total of any group of promoted sides at this stage of the season in Premier League history

The three teams have only managed to get 50 points between them - after just 34 games - and are 14 points behind the previous record which was set last year by Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town.

While Leicester and Southampton have seen changes in the dugout this season, Ipswich have stuck with Kieran McKenna, but this has not changed their fortunes.

Between them, they have picked up just 21 points at home, with Southampton and Ipswich winning just once in-front of their own fans.

Promoted sides face 'more of a challenge'

And things look set to get even more difficult for those coming up from the Championship.

According to Opta, five of the lowest eight Premier League points totals for promoted sides after 34 games have come in the last eight years. Southampton are currently on the joint-lowest points total ever at this stage of the season, alongside Derby County.

Speaking before his sides relegation, Ipswich boss McKenna said the gap between the Premier League and the Championship "is getting bigger" and that "it's been getting more of a challenge for clubs to be able to bridge that".

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Former Leicester City striker Steve Howard speaking on the When You're Smiling podcast: "I want him [Ruud van Nistelrooy] to change the squad. I want him to try a different system, a different formation or different faces.

"He might be surprised and you've got to prepare for the Championship. This season is done and dusted but you have to get something out of it.

"Throw the young lads in - the ones who want to have a game - and if they can hold their own in the Premier League then they will fit in to the squad next season."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Southampton have faced more shots (605), more shots on target (234) and have a higher xG against tally (78.8) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

On the other hand, Leicester have had fewer shots (299), fewer shots on target (98) and a lower xG tally (29.2) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast has dropped.

Former Leicester City striker Steve Howard stops by to discuss the Foxes' final four games and how Ruud van Nistelrooy can best use them to prepare for life in the Championship next season.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Southampton (kick-off 15:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On players who will be missing: "We are a lot thinner than before. Mads Hermansen had an operation, Jakub Stolarczyk will be in for the rest of the season. Ricardo Pereira came off with a muscle injury - he will be out for a couple of weeks but it's possible he will play again this season. Bobby De Cordova-Reid had a muscle injury, won't expect him to play again this season. Facundo Buonanotte had a concussion, he will miss Saturday but we will see about next week. Stephy Mavididi we don't expect to play again this season."

• On Stolarczyk's opportunity with Hermansen injured: "He proved in the games that he played that he developed into a Premier League keeper. It's a great opportunity for him [and] another homegrown player."

• On his future at the club: "No, still hoping to find out. Of course, the quicker the better, it's in the best interest of the club. But no news so far."

• On the difficulty of all eyes currently being on his future: "We're all hoping to find out soon. There's 70 people in the training ground who want to evaluate this season, look forward to the next. But we're also aware of our jobs, we are responsible to do our jobs as best as possible and prepare for Saturday. That's the focus we have within the bigger picture."

• On conversations within the club on his future: "I've said many times before I've been proactive in conversations in February, March and April with the board and chairman. They know where I stand and I'm looking for alignment. Moving forward you have to be aligned. That intention is there 100%."

• On the importance of the game against Southampton despite both sides being relegated: "We've been addressing it for a couple weeks now that we want the season to end as positively as possible within the situation of relegation. It's preparation for next season, so it's an interesting fixture."

• On what to expect against Southampton: "Performances like Liverpool and Brighton show the intensity, aggressiveness and willingness to play. The extra motivation is to give the best farewell to Jamie Vardy. He deserves that and the players will show that on Saturday."

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

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Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper believes the club's hierarchy are "struggling" to make a decision on Ruud van Nistelrooy, after the Dutchman revealed he is "still waiting" to have talks about his managerial future at King Power Stadium.

Speaking on the When You're Smiling podcast, Piper says he expected the club to have already initiated talks but doesn't think they should be "in any rush" to sack him before other important decisions have been made.

"What's probably going on is that people are pointing fingers at the hierarchy of the club and the club feel they cannot afford to get another big decision wrong," he explained. "They are probably panicking.

"I can't imagine Ruud being here next year. It's not that it just won't look good, it's that he has failed miserably.

"I don't think the club are leaning one way or another. I really think they are struggling with it because they cannot afford to get another decision wrong.

"This is why 'Top' needs to really look at his position first and think about whether this is still what he wants to do. Then the club can look at making changes or bringing in more support at boardroom level because things have been going drastically wrong for a while now.

"These are decisions that need to be in place first, then they can make a decision on the manager.

"I don't think they should be in any rush to sack Ruud. This has been a disastrous season so it isn't going to make much of a difference now if you leave him in post and give yourselves some thinking time over the summer.

"It is one big struggle at the football club at the minute. It's not just the guys on the pitch that are letting things down at Leicester at the minute, it's all the way through the club."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

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Dear Top,

Let met start by saying as a fan I am, and always will be grateful for what King Power, your late father, you and your family have done for my football club. You have allowed me to fulfil dreams that I never thought as a Leicester City fan I ever would.

Every business, though, has its peaks and troughs, and as a 64-year-old fan, believe you me, I have seen plenty of troughs. But it is how troughs are dealt with that businesses are judged by, and these days football clubs are businesses.

However, I have to say most businesses do not hold onto staff once that business starts to fail, no matter how successful they may have been in the past. Top, you really need to take charge and make changes or you risk ruining your family's legacy at the club.

Yes, you cleared a lot of debt for our club, but this is debt that was accrued under King Power ownership. A tally of 11 managers in 15 years of ownership speaks volumes.

There has been your chasing of Graham Potter, followed by what seemed a rushed appointment of Steve Cooper, the early sacking of Cooper - an appointment you publicly criticised - and the failure to act in sticking by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has to be the worst manager in the clubs history.

How are Susan Whelan, John Rudkin, Martyn Glover et al still at the club? Yes they have helped you through some dark times but as a group of managers it appears you don't know what you're doing.

I am sorry Top, but a free bottle of beer at the final home game this season will not cut it.

The fans are the lifeblood of any club, and our relationship is being destroyed.

Open up and talk to the fans. We have no idea what is going on. Tell us.

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

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is available for a £9m relegation release clause this summer.

The 28-year-old's clause was activated last weekend when the Foxes lost 1-0 to now-champions Liverpool and were relegated to the Championship with five games to go.

Leicester have since lost 3-0 away at Wolves and the Nigeria international is among several members of the squad now considering his future.

The Midlands club feel well placed to revamp the squad with release clauses rare at the King Power Stadium and only three players out of contract - goalkeepers Daniel Iversen and Danny Ward, along with legendary striker Jamie Vardy, who has announced he will leave Leicester after 13 glorious years at the club.

Ndidi, meanwhile, had interest from clubs like Marseille and Everton while available on a free transfer last summer.

However, Leicester managed to sign Ndidi to a new three-year deal last summer. He was signed in 2017 in a £17m deal from Genk, but the pressure from interested parties likely led to the inclusion of a release clause as part of his most recent deal.

Ndidi has won an FA Cup and the Championship last season while at Leicester and has played 27 times in all competitions during this campaign.

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Former Leicester City striker Matty Fryatt believes it is "going to take a lot" to turn things around at the club, with Ruud van Nistelrooy's side suffering another heavy defeat against Wolves just six days after their relegation back to the Championship was confirmed.

"I've said there was a gulf in class before, but there were oceans in this game," Fryatt told the When You're Smiling podcast. "They looked miles off it in terms of fight, spirit and everything you would want.

"It's not like all of a sudden there's going to be a wake-up call and these players are going to start playing. If that was ever going to be the case, why haven't they done it up until this point?

"I wasn't expecting a massive change but I at least thought there would be a bit more fight and determination. It was a resignation in terms of relegation - everyone had seen it coming for weeks leading up to it."

Leicester took the Championship by storm in 2023-24 but have not been able to transfer the positivity from that campaign into a Premier League survival bid.

"It's going to take a lot to turn this around," Fryatt said. "The Championship shouldn't be feared but there should be things in place to make sure they have got a good foundation. They are a long way from where they once were, but they can get back to that by making important decisions.

"A lot of it will depend on things financially because, for example, sacking two managers in one financial year is a huge hit - but something needs to be done.

"I didn't see anything in this performance that made me think Ruud is the right person to lead this team. Forget his illustrious playing career - he is an unproven manager and he has never been down at the bottom.

"The team looks soulless. They are lacking identity, style and fight."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Wolves and Leicester City at Molineux.

Here are some of your replies:

Wolves fans

Sara: Wolves made Leicester look woeful. The fitness levels between the two teams were clear to see. There are happy people in Wolverhampton at last. Matheus Cunha was the standout - he just wants to please the fans! I hope he stays.

Steve: Cunha is going to be jumping off a ship sailing to much better times and joining the Titanic.

Cordelia: Thank you Vitor Pereira for coming to Wolves and giving our players the confidence to play and show off their skills. We always knew they were quality but now everyone can see it. Leicester fans - good luck next season.

Kieran: What a run. We need to buy Vitor lots of pints - what a turnaround! If we back this man in the summer, just think of what we could do.

Espirito: People are praising this team like they have beaten a team at the top of the table, but we have not. We should be beating teams like this to little fanfare and it just shows how far the club has fallen. We don't need nor want Cunha. Let another team deal with his attitude. The same goes for Jose Sa and Toti, otherwise we will be in this position again.

Leicester fans

Chris: We are 'using these games to prepare for next season' according to Ruud van Nistelrooy. So obviously picking loan player Facundo Buonanotte who definitely won't be with us next season and giving Jamie Vardy another 90 minutes when we know he is leaving makes perfect sense, right? The whole club is a joke. As for the performance, I don't think the players could have put less effort in if they tried. But not trying is a bit of a theme.

Nathan: Is this the worst and most unlikable Premier League team ever? Yes. A record-breakingly bad manager, a board that seems not to care, and players who seemingly cannot play the game. Can we just forfeit the remaining games because we will lose them all by at least three goals and will be unable to score?

Tom: One word: awful. From top to bottom, it's toxic. We need new owners, management, coaches and players. It is going to be a long few seasons with hard times and hard work to get the club stable at the least.

Christy: A club in all sorts of trouble. The manager appears to be clueless, the players nowhere near the standard required, the coaching staff do not seem to understand this standard and the people who run the club make far too many errors. They should really think about putting Leicester City up for sale.

Mark Chapman presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures, which saw Ipswich Town's relegation from the top-flight confirmed.

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

Listen back to full match commentary from Newcastle United 3-0 Ipswich Town on BBC Sounds.

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Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the defeat: "I look at the performance and that wasn't good enough. I don't talk about it football-wise, but I talk about it in terms of intensity and duels. We had many easy ball losses in possession, especially in the first half.

"In the second half, yes we conceded two goals on the break but we were better in those areas. But today wasn't good enough."

On making a triple change at half-time: "At half-time, Facundo [Buonanotte] had to come off with concussion. Ricardo Pereira had to come off with an injury. Then before half-time, Bobby De-Cordova Reid had to come off as well. It is a shame and shows how tough this season has been, with [Stephy] Mavididi also getting injured. Now those two are injured and there's a concussion.

"We are fighting towards the end of the season."

On what he said to the players at half-time: "I had to address the things I shared with you, that it is not acceptable. How intense you press, how intense you make a duel and how easy the ball losses are that are going to create lots of transitions where you have to recover. Those things don't require talent.

"That was addressed and then we went into the second half where we had the penalty with Jamie [Vardy]. That was so unfortunate. I really wanted him to score to get us back into the game, but also for himself. That summed the game up.

"The Brighton and Liverpool games were positive, but today was not so it isn't consistent enough. Also, it is a matter of course to keep that motivation and focus going for the team.

"There is a lot to play for, like Jamie [Vardy]'s last games. Supporting our captain should be enough motivation to push out everything that is left.

"We look at the 17 teams above us and acknowledge that we weren't at that level. That is very clear - we have to accept it and move on."