Leicester City

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester boss Ruud Van Nistelrooy believes Bruno Fernandes would have been an asset to Manchester United's greatest sides.

The Foxes head coach worked with Fernandes as assistant and interim manager while at Old Trafford between July and November last year.

They reunite at the King Power Stadium on Sunday evening with second bottom Leicester now nine points from safety in the Premier League.

Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006 - winning the Premier League in 2003 - before leaving for Real Madrid and feels Portugal midfielder Fernandes, who has 15 goals this season - would fit in even the best Old Trafford teams.

"Yes, no doubt. It's the quality, it's the character, it's the work rate, it's the discipline. That's the full package," he said.

"It was crucial [to United] that he stayed though."

Yet, Van Nistelrooy's attention is elsewhere with Wolves' 2-1 win at Southampton on Saturday pushing Leicester - who have lost 12 of their last 13 games - closer to the drop.

"Of course, I have other things on my mind. I am working with my team. I am working on performing, on winning games, on preparing the game, also the games after," he said.

"There are 10 games left. There are 30 points there to get the most out of it. We are still in it. We are still in this fight.

"We want to push. We want to put the teams above us under pressure. Also, the teams we are level with, like Ipswich and Southampton, we are in that battle. That is where my mind goes.

"That is what I want to get the maximum out of myself and the team."

Leicester have struggled defensively all season but their current lack of goals is an even bigger problem - they have not found the net in their past five league matches, and have lost all of them.

You could look at the Foxes' 1-0 defeat by Chelsea last week and think that result was not too bad, but they never looked like scoring - the closest they got to a goal was when a cross came off Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo's shoulder and hit the bar.

Mind you, Manchester United are far from prolific either. They did improve in the second half of their draw with Arsenal, but they still don't have much of a cutting edge.

That makes me think this is going to be close. Leicester gave United a good game in the FA Cup at Old Trafford a few weeks ago and were beaten by Harry Maguire's controversial stoppage-time winner.

This time it is going to be just as tight, and I think the points will be shared.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Leicester City defender James Justin says the Foxes are "not waving the white flag yet" before Sunday's game against Manchester United.

"Every game is a massive moment for us at this stage of the season, but we feel like this is a good chance to go and pick up some much-needed points," Justin told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.

"Obviously they are at a bit of a turning point. It's a massive club, with rich history, and there's been a lot of talk around them.

"We're also in a tough patch, so it's a good opportunity for us to take advantage of that and put in a good performance in front of the fans before the international break.

"It would be the biggest achievement to date because we're in the position we are, and the odds are stacked against us. I believe we can still do it, and there is belief in the dressing room. We're not waving the white flag yet."

Justin, who played as a wing-back in the loss at Chelsea, also spoke about the benefits of playing in a back five.

He said: "The biggest thing in the five is that you don't have to worry about what's behind you because you know they [other defenders] are coming as you have more numbers across the backline.

"We can slide in unison a lot better and it allows us to get more pressure on the ball.

"It does give you more security when you're pressing and gives you some more certainty."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes Manchester United are in a "better place" than when they beat the Foxes in February.

Harry Maguire's injury-time header - which should have been ruled out for offside - gave United a 2-1 FA Cup win.

Since then, United have lost once in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League, after a 5-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad, although were knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham on penalties.

They go to King Power Stadium on Sunday 14th in the table.

"It's a great boost [for them] they are in the quarter finals of the Europa League," said Van Nistelrooy.

"Bruno [Fernandes] is in great form, so he is very decisive in that team. It's a team which has some momentum going, so they are in a better place than when we played them in the FA Cup."

Former United striker Van Nistelrooy left Old Trafford after a spell as interim manager in November after Ruben Amorim's appointment - having rejoined the club as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag last summer.

He was unbeaten in his four games in charge - which included two wins over Leicester.

The Foxes have lost 12 of their past 13 games in the Premier League, leaving them second bottom and six points from safety.

They have also not scored a home league goal since 8 December, when they drew 2-2 with Brighton in Van Nistelrooy's second game.

"I wouldn't go into that particularly and blow it up. It's one of the things we work on. We are conceding too many goals and we are trying to improve," he said.

"The chances we create and the chances we missed, we have spoken about it before. It's also knowing from experience. I didn't score every game and I missed some chances, or I didn't score for a couple of games. When you start scoring you get momentum and the goals will come."

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we asked who has the second-most Premier League wins for Leicester City after Jamie Vardy (127).

The answer is Kasper Schmeichel, who racked up 118 league victories in a Foxes shirt.

Image source, Getty Images

James Justin says it would be "naive" to describe Leicester City's fight against relegation as anything other than "an uphill battle".

Defeat by Chelsea last Sunday was Leicester's 12th loss in 13 Premier League matches and could become the first team to lose seven straight home matches without scoring.

With 10 games to go, the Foxes are six points from safety and contemplating a daunting next set of fixtures.

"It's definitely an uphill battle," Justin told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast. "If we didn't say that, we'd be naive.

"We have a lot of points to pick up over the next few games, so we have to knuckle down and start picking up points before it's too late."

Despite their precarious position, the 27-year-old is still hopeful of Leicester being in the Premier League next season.

"From what I see day in and day out, the qualities each individual brings to the team, I believe that we can do the job and stay up," he said. "There is no point if you don't have the belief anymore.

"We're just looking at the people in 17th and trying to catch them up before we run out of games."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Full commentary of Leicester City v Manchester United on BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Sounds from 19:00 on Sunday

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at home against Manchester United (19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Van Nistelrooy confirmed he has no fresh injury concerns, with a fully fit squad apart from long-term absentee Abdul Fatawu.

• On Ricardo Pereira, who last week returned to the team in last weekend's defeat at Chelsea after being out since December: "Really good. He came on and we changed the structure in the last 20 minutes to push for a goal. As an inverted full-back, his role in the midfield made us play forward and create some chances and dangerous situations from that. It's great to have him back. He's experienced, a great professional and a great example for our team."

• Van Nistelrooy said he may use inverted full-backs again: "It was a tactical change because of the result at the time. It's an excellent possibility to use and we can also use it from the start. It depends on the opponent. With Ricardo, you have tactical flexibility because of his qualities."

• On the change of system to a back five at Stamford Bridge: "We were able to develop that and evaluate the Chelsea game - what went well and where we can improve. We look at United over the coming days and prepare to present ourselves in the best possible way. That structure has definitely been part of training."

• On the importance of win going into the international break: "A positive result would do us really good, that is very clear. That is what we're working for and what we took from the Chelsea game. It's what we have worked on this week to develop again the structures we put in place. We are able to build on that and take it into Sunday's game."

• He is expecting a harder game than the FA Cup tie, which was decided by a late Harry Maguire goal that replays showed was offside: "United are in a better place than the time we played them in the cup. They had a very good game against Arsenal and yesterday they were very strong [against Real Socieded]. Great boost they are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Bruno [Fernandes] is in great form and very decisive in that team. It's a team that has some momentum going."

Listen to live commentary of Leicester v Man Utd on Sunday from 19:00 on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's early Premier League news conferences and the day's football news

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Leicester have lost each of their past six Premier League home games by an aggregate score of 15-0.

No team in English top-flight history has ever lost seven in a row without scoring.

Jamie Vardy has won the most Premier League games for Leicester with 127.

But who has the second-most victories for the Foxes?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

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

Hear from Foxes defender James Justin, and ex-Leicester striker Matty Fryatt joins Owynn Palmer-Atkin to preview a fourth game of the season against Manchester United at the weekend.

Listen on BBC Sounds

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

To change horses midstream means to make changes to an activity that has already started.

Finally, after weeks of screaming for it, that is exactly what Leicester got at Chelsea on Sunday.

Going into the match, I felt we might get something from a Chelsea side that were not in the best of form and whose fans were voicing public apathy towards their manager's style of play. That is something we well remember from Enzo Maresca's time last year, albeit were 17 points clear at the top and that silences a lot of criticism.

However, the shock was almost audible when the team was announced and we no longer saw the 4-2-3-1 formation that had been failing us every week under Ruud van Nistelrooy.

He had changed to a 5-2-1-2, with the back five reverting to a back three going forward and deployed wing-backs. This change, it appeared, frustrated Maresca.

We saw Jordan Ayew and Bobby DeCordova-Reid dropped, neither of whom should be starters. Luke Thomas and Conor Coady were back in defence, with the latter offering experience and leadership. And yes, two up front.

We did not win but, if the team performance against West Ham was a -10 out of 10, this was a solid seven. With rumours Van Nistelrooy had been considering this formation since he arrived, the question is why wait until now when we face our hardest run of games of the season?

Up front, with two starting, the hope was we would break our goalless run, but it does not matter if we have five up front if we are not getting the ball to them. With only four touches in the first half for Jamie Vardy, this is a problem that needs attention.

Too little, too late? Time will tell, but let us enjoy the fact that this was probably our best performance against a top-half team.

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

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Ruud van Nistelrooy's switch to a back five saw his Leicester team perform "much better" defensively but they still "lacked cutting edge" in Sunday's defeat by Chelsea, says BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella.

"It was interesting, I was a bit surprised they went to a back five," he told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.

"I think they maybe caught Chelsea out a bit. They looked dangerous.

"I thought Chelsea were in a bit of trouble at one stage and you could sense it in the stadium. The fans were getting nervous. Then [Marc] Cucurella's long-range effort squeezes in. It wasn't exactly Chelsea carving Leicester open and creating a clear-cut chance and finding that moment, it was a pot shot and that can happen.

"Leicester did a lot right but I just think 'where are the goals coming from?' There was threat, I thought [Jamie] Vardy had his moments, but it still didn't seem like quite enough.

"It would have relied on an own goal from [Wesley] Fofana for them to score. Leicester lacked a bit of cutting edge but defensively it was much better having watched them this season.

"Clearly Ruud van Nistelrooy did his homework and sat deep with that back five which is working against Chelsea at the moment. My concern would be whether this will work at home for Leicester."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

The latest episode of the When You're Smiling podcast has landed.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin is joined my former Foxes winger Matt Piper and BBC Sport senior football reporter Nizaar Kinsella to reflect on Sunday's defeat to Chelsea, and what it may mean for the rest of the season.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Ricardo Pereira has vowed to give his "very best" in Leicester City's remaining 10 Premier League matches after making his comeback from a lengthy injury lay-off in the Foxes' 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, which saw them record their 12th defeat in 13 league games.

The right-back was substituted on in the 84th minute for fellow defender James Justin, as Ruud van Nistelrooy's side looked to get a result at Stamford Bridge, and he received a warm reception from the travelling fans.

After making his first Premier League appearance since November 2024, Ricardo posted on his Instagram account: "I really enjoyed being back today and I really missed this feeling.

"I will keep giving my very best to help and be helped.

"To turn this situation around, we need everyone in the last 10 games. I believe it's possible!

"Thank you Foxes for your warm welcome and your support."

Leicester City are currently six points adrift of Premier League safety, but they do have one final opportunity to get back to winning ways before the international break as 14th-placed Manchester United visit King Power Stadium.

Foxes fans, how are you feeling about Ricardo's return? Can he make the difference in Leicester's survival push? Let us know here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Leicester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

John: Someone should tell Enzo Maresca to have a plan B. He is wearing down the players with his play-from-the-back style. He plays a very boring game, with short passes and no counter attacks!

Stephen: Not really impressed by the quality of work. They didn't seem able to break Leicester down.

Richard: Once again we dominate a game and struggle to win by one goal! I'm not convinced Maresca is the right manager, but at the moment is there an alternative?

Nick: It doesn't say much for the Premier League if we are fourth. I can't remember when I last saw Chelsea play well. When Cole Palmer isn't playing well we are awful, which doesn't say much for the rest of them.

Steve: The media will paint this as a gutsy performance by Leicester, but the reality is that Chelsea don't have the character or the ability to put weaker teams away - which makes them look better than they really are. Doesn't bode well for the rest of the season when they will come up against far better teams. Arsenal will knock in four or five against this Chelsea side in the next game.

Leicester fans

Aiden: Now it is five games without a goal in the league. We cannot expect to win games let alone draw without scoring. It can't keep going like this. You'd think having one of the best strikers in Premier League history would lead to us working out how to score?

Nigel: Great penalty save, but we are still not quick enough on the ball. I can't see anyway out now. Tough games ahead. We should play some of the academy players because they can't do much worse.

Chris: What do I make of it? Exactly the same as the last three months - good in places but can't hold on to a clean sheet and can't score to save their lives. Relegation was likely in August, but sleep walking into it with this total inability to score will definitely see us down. The season is over. Lord knows where we go after this.

Lee: No passion or guile in the final third so another zero in the goal scored column. Ruud van Nistlerooy needs to make way and go now to give us a good start in the Championship next season.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's three Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Chelsea 1-0 Leicester City

• Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal

Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about the battle to avoid relegation from the top flight:

"I did think Wolves might struggle without Matheus Cunha but they got a good draw against Everton.

"Ipswich are losing matches - I covered the game against Palace, they had chances and they were probably just not ruthless enough. They rely a lot on Liam Delap to score goals.

"It's not a good look on the Championship because it's the three teams that have come up that are going down. That's the gap between the Championship and the Premier League now.

"I still give Ipswich a fighting chance but it looks like it might stay like that."

Listen on BBC Sounds

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Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper says the Foxes "will be disappointed" to lose to Chelsea but "they can be proud of their efforts" at Stamford Bridge.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's side were defensively resolute, afforded Chelsea few chances and looked bright on the counter-attack during the first half.

But their final ball let them down and they left with nothing.

"They should have got something from the game," said Piper on the BBC Radio Leicester When You're Smiling podcast. "But when they get into threatening areas they fall down again. It feels like a broken record.

"The counter attacks were good but the final decision making by whoever was stood over the ball at the time did lack. We could have really taken something from this game because Chelsea were poor.

"They will be disappointed but they can be proud of their efforts.

"Although Chelsea weren't brilliant, they're still competing for Champions League football so what we came and did was impressive. It is just a shame that we couldn't get the goal.

"I have said it all season but I look at this team and they just lack that bit of quality. They can play well, and I tip my hat to them when they do, but they lack the ability at this level to claw back defeats to draws."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Former Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer says the narrow defeat to Chelsea was "a missed opportunity," as the Foxes hopes of Premier League survival gets smaller.

"Chelsea were awful in the final third when it came to their decision-making, Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Live. But Leicester did not create enough at the other end.

"It is a missed opportunity. They spent a lot of energy defending and they did not have much left in their tank when there were chances to go forward.

"The league table does not lie and the fact is that Leicester haven't been good enough to warrant a better position. I just don't see this team having the ability to get out of this relegation fight.

Image source, Getty Images

In isolation, Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will have taken some positives from his side's display during a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

They were defensively resolute, afforded Chelsea few chances and looked bright on the counter-attack during the first half.

The problem is that, with 10 matches left in the Premier League season, Leicester cannot afford to judge anything in isolation.

The only thing that matters at this stage is points and Leicester are not earning enough of them to survive.

The defeat was Leicester's 12th in their last 13 league matches.

Rivals Ipswich were beaten late on at Crystal Palace on Saturday, while Wolves played out a 1-1 draw with Everton at Molineux to move six points clear of the relegation zone.

Neither side would have banked on Leicester getting anything away at Stamford Bridge but the Foxes are running out of chances to capitalise on their rivals' slip-ups.

Leicester face Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Brighton and Liverpool in their next five fixtures.

To survive this season, they will have to spring a surprise somewhere.