'It is a win-win game'published at 14:13 7 February
14:13 7 February
Image source, Getty Images
Leicester Fan TV editor Phil Holloway spoke to the When You're Smiling podcast about Friday's FA Cup trip to Old Trafford: "I don't want to say it's a 'free hit', but it is a chance for Ruud [van Nistelrooy] to maybe test out a slightly different starting 11 for the Arsenal game [next Saturday].
"If we lose it. we will say we are concentrating on the Premier League and if we win it gives us something extra to go at. It's a bit of a win-win.
"The Everton match, we need to put that behind us. Players not coming up to fans after the game, that needs to stop. We need to see a two-way thing between the club and fans.
"We need to get on the same page before the Arsenal game. The players can make that happen if they put in a performance against Manchester United. They don't have to win, but they need to leave it out on the pitch for us."
Who has enough to survive the drop?published at 13:40 7 February
13:40 7 February
Image source, Getty Images
Now that the transfer deals are done, we have a clearer picture of how the season may finish.
Unfortunately, as things stand I think Ipswich will be relegated in addition to Southampton and Leicester City.
Saying Ipswich is a difficult one for me because out of those three, they are the one that I think will give the biggest fight to survive between now and the end of the season.
But at the expense of who? It is probably Wolves, as Everton have now distanced themselves from the pack, but even then Wolves have a new manager and they have Premier League experience which will always help in this crunch time.
Ultimately, the gap now between the Championship and the Premier League is massive.
It is hard to adjust quickly enough in the Premier League as the players simply just don't have the time to adapt. Mistakes are punished, so it makes it very difficult to play the same style that has got a team promoted from the Championship.
Ipswich have probably been the most adaptable of the three teams, but they still lack the quality that is needed within a squad to compete. They have, however, invested and brought in more players in the January transfer window to give them a fighting chance.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford
Letting Van Nistelrooy leave 'really simple' - Amorimpublished at 12:18 7 February
12:18 7 February
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says removing Ruud van Nistelrooy from his coaching staff after his appointment in November was "not a difficult situation".
Legendary United striker Van Nistelrooy oversaw three wins and a draw as caretaker manager after Erik ten Hag was sacked in October before leaving when Amorim was appointed and brought his own coaching staff.
Shortly after that, the Dutchman was named Leicester manager.
"It was not a difficult situation because it was so clear for me - I just had to explain," Amorim said. "I think it's really simple and he understands. He is a man of football.
"I have my team and my staff. I could keep Ruud because it was a good thing for me a popular thing to do.
"[But] I will not put Ruud in front of my guys, no matter what, and then I had to put a person like Ruud in the end on the hierarchy on my staff, and I think that was not fair on Ruud.
"To show respect to Ruud, I was really clear with him and I explained that I have my team, I will continue the same way and I will not put a guy like Ruud, a legend of this club, in the end of the hierarchy in the staff."
The Foxes visit Old Trafford in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday night on a run of one win in nine in the Premier League, but Van Nistelrooy says he is not worried about his future at the club.
"I don't have to be considering these things," he said. "Of course, we're not in an easy moment. It's getting on with your jobs and not speaking about any other things.
"We're in this fight, we're talking in the league of course, but this game is big for us."
On returning to Manchester, he added: "It is special to go back there. There was a history as player, history as an assistant manager and history as a caretaker.
"That is part of me it always will be - but my focus will be on my team to get the best out of them and perform and show what we are about."
Sutton's predictions: Man Utd v Leicesterpublished at 09:43 7 February
09:43 7 February
What a story it is to see Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has won the FA Cup with Manchester United as a player, going back to Old Trafford with Leicester.
He was in charge of United when they beat the Foxes there twice in the space of two weeks earlier in the season, but he will want a different outcome this time.
Leicester are struggling at the moment but this still won't be straightforward for United.
It is amazing how many surprise results there have been in the Premier League this season, but the one constant has been that United have been awful throughout.
I have absolutely no confidence in this prediction but, based on how poor Leicester have been recently, and also their heavy defeat by Everton last time out, I think the holders will find a way of winning this tie in 90 minutes to make it into the fifth-round draw.
Van Nistelrooy on transfer 'reality', FA Cup and Man Utd returnpublished at 13:30 6 February
13:30 6 February
Phil Cartwright BBC Sport journalist
Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Friday's FA Cup game at Manchester United (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Van Nistelrooy confirmed that Jeremy Monga, 15, and Jake Evans, 16, will be part of the squad at Old Trafford, while midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is available for selection.
On the mood after last weekend's loss at Everton: "The disappointment, which we didn't see coming after the Tottenham game, was painful and very disappointing. We evaluated the game with the players, where we have to improve, and then you start going back to work again."
Reflecting on a transfer window in which Leicester made only one senior signing: "It's not a question of being disappointed or happy - it's a question of reality. It's clear what the reality of the club is at this moment. The opportunities and restrictions go hand in hand and we had to deal with this."
Van Nistelrooy continued: "I said before that we needed to strengthen and to impact the team with impact players, and we weren't able to get them because of the balance of opportunity and restrictions. That is the reality. We tried, but the focus was on impact players to strengthen the squad. We did it with Woyo Coulibaly but other possibilities weren't possible."
Asked if anything changed, he said: "The conversations in November before I joined were clear. Of course, you then enter a process together, where you prepare the window and the figures and everything is presented to you. I was part of that along the way. The idea was that there were certain possibilities, but when the numbers came on the table, it turned out to be different. We had to reassess and look at the possibilities within that framework. The only addition is Coulibaly and we go on with this squad."
Van Nistelrooy said "the reality is not always as you wish" and those developments "did not come as a surprise", before adding: "Reality set in and then I'm quite pragmatic - 'OK, let's get on with it and get the most out of what we have'."
On if playing in the FA Cup is a distraction or is welcomed: "It's always welcome. We'll do everything possible to be at our best and it's never a distraction. To play in this cup is a privilege and we want to show what we're about in a fantastic away game at Old Trafford. These games are more than welcome. It's a dream for every player to play there."
Van Nistelrooy will return to United having had a spell as interim manager earlier this season: "It's special to go back there, with the history as a player, an assistant manager and caretaker manager. It is part of me and always will be, but the focus is on my players and my team, to get the best of them and show what we're about."
'We are preparing for life down the scrap heap'published at 18:08 4 February
18:08 4 February
Chris Forryan Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Unfortunately, this transfer window sums up the state this club is in right now.
This window as good as sealed our relegation back to the Championship, where the EFL is waiting for us with management plans, transfer embargoes and points deductions - unless Nick de Marco has any rabbits left.
We have an owner we all love, but he is scared to replace any of his failing management team of CEO Susan Whelan, director of football John Rudkin and manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Yes, he kept bailing us out with his debt to share buyouts, but it is under his leadership we have those debts.
In hindsight, the appointment of Steve Cooper was wrong, although we had more points under him than Van Nistelrooy.
Paying him off reportedly limited the money we could spend in the window - which was the one when Van Nistelrooy could bring in his own players and turn things around.
We bought a right-back for, err, £1.5m, who Van Nistelrooy then kept on the bench while he continues to play James Justin in that position - a left-back who has failed to impress.
You can't even say we are preparing for life in the Championship. We are preparing for life down the scrap heap.
They say be careful what you wish for. Well, nothing could be worse than this!
🎧 'Hunger, fight and determination'published at 12:07 4 February
12:07 4 February
Image source, Getty Images
Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper says the Foxes need "hunger, fight and determination" to bridge the gap to Wolves in the fight for survival.
Leicester are currently 18th, two points behind Wolves after suffering a 4-0 loss to 16th place Everton.
" I look at the Wolves squad, and it is between us and Wolves", Piper said. "I think we're better than the two teams below us and I don't think we're going to get more points than Wolves.
"I look at that Wolves team and defensively they're better than us, they can score goals and they also have two very special players.
"I knew it was going to be a struggle, but the way you can bridge the gap is by having that hunger and desire. The more you see performances like the Everton one the more your belief starts to wane but you get the Tottenham performance and you think, 'see this side can do it, they can come from behind and show some hunger, fight and determination and that can bridge the gap, even against the best sides in the Premier League'."
🎧 'Positivity has completely dissolved'published at 06:46 4 February
06:46 4 February
The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast has landed.
Listen to Owynn Palmer-Atkin, ex-Leicester winger Matt Piper and a Foxes fan review the 4-0 defeat by Everton and assess the lack of transfer activity at the King Power.
Foxes turn down McAteer bidpublished at 17:27 3 February
17:27 3 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Sunderland's substantial offer for Leicester City midfielder Kasey McAteer has been rejected.
It is slightly less than the initial £8m reported, but it has been turned down by the Foxes.
The 23-year-old has made 15 appearances for the club this season and has featured six times under current boss Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
The academy graduate, who is also a Republic of Ireland international, has scored seven goals in 45 appearances for the club and won the Championship with the Foxes last season.
Sunderland are fourth in the Championship and face Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium tonight.
Leicester set for quiet deadline daypublished at 14:09 3 February
14:09 3 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Leicester are another club expected to have a relatively uneventful deadline day.
Right-back Woyo Coulibaly is Ruud Van Nistelrooy's only signing this month, having joined from Parma for around £3m.
The manager said the club would work "until the last second" of the window to bring in reinforcements but unless there is some late drama it looks like it will be a quiet day at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes - third bottom of the Premier League - still need to work within of profit and sustainability restrictions.
The club also need to be mindful of bringing in players who can make a difference, having signed Odsonne Edouard on loan from Crystal Palace on deadline day in the summer, only for the striker to have made four substitute appearances in the top flight so far this season.
England Under-20 winger Will Alves has joined Cardiff on loan and Wilfred Ndidi had interest from Monaco but Van Nistelrooy has already ruled out selling the Nigeria international midfielder.
Defender Caleb Okoli - who is yet to start for Van Nistelrooy having joined from Atalanta for around £12m under Steve Cooper in the summer - is also currently set to stay.
What do you want on deadline day?published at 21:06 2 February
21:06 2 February
We asked you what would ensure you are satisfied this deadline day.
Here are some of your comments:
Chris: We need a striker, and we need to stop the attempts to clone Jamie Vardy because he's simply unique. With our budget constraints, that means looking at youngsters who are big, strong, and good in the air.
Steve: It is well known that our central defensive partnership is a real weakness and without at least one competent new central defender, we will certainly be relegated. Leicester also need an attacking winger and a striker to help Vardy. He is a legend and gives his all for the club, but he needs help.
Chris: Nothing realistic will help, because for that we need an entire back line, two wingers and a striker. So, instead I'll say that I hope we don't make another useless panic signing or sign any more players that are 30-plus on three-year deals.
James: To put a twist on the Andrew Lloyd-Webber classic, it's more a case of "Any Signing Will Do", to add to the acquisition of a £3m full-back who has been barely used since. However, since the persistent shadow of financial incompetence lingers, even one desperately-needed incoming transfer for anywhere on the pitch is unlikely.
Paul: Two decent central defenders.
Neil: I don't think we should sign anyone. This club will be relegated and we should adjust our expenditure to Championship revenues accordingly. Signing players in January has not often been successful for Leicester and I can't see that signing one or two players will make any marked difference to a squad that is bereft of Premier League quality.
Everton defeat 'a tough watch' with players showing 'no fight'published at 15:23 2 February
15:23 2 February
Image source, Getty Images
Former Leicester City interim manager Mike Stowell says the Foxes showed "no resilience and no fight" during their 4-0 defeat at Everton, adding there appeared to be "a real poor understanding" between Ruud van Nistelrooy and his players.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Stowell said: "It was really disappointing. It was a tough watch and I never saw it coming. I would have said the win at Tottenham felt like it had turned the season around, especially off the back of what Ruud has been saying about them training with more intensity.
"We saw none of that in this game. We saw no resilience and no fight. I know you can go anywhere in the Premier League and get beaten, but it is the manner in which it happened. It was lacklustre.
"There was no fight. You don't have to be skilful to run around. You don't have to be skilful to win your battles or your headers.
"We weren't asking for amazing things from the players. We were just asking for them to do their job and do it at a level they are getting paid to do it for, but that was nowhere near.
"To concede a goal like that after 10 seconds just set the tone - and then there was no reaction. It's fine to go a goal down, especially after 10 seconds because it gives you a long enough period to get a goal back, but there was none of that.
"They looked like they didn't want to score a goal to get back in it. There was a real lack of effort and almost an acceptance that it was done at that point. It was almost like a damage limitation exercise, but even that didn't work out."
Image source, Getty Images
