Leicester City

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived a few minutes late for his first news conference as Leicester manager.

The 48-year-old can be forgiven, though, as he quickly adjusts to life at the Foxes. He only met the squad on Sunday and has had just two days to prepare for Tuesday's Premier League visit of West Ham - so his time is precious.

Van Nistelrooy shook journalists' hands and introduced himself, waving at those with cameras at the back of the room and joking that he will try to remember everyone's names.

He spoke clearly and calmly, poking fun at himself as he links up with Jamie Vardy - who broke his Premier League record of scoring in consecutive games in 2015.

Leicester are a point above the bottom three and have signs of fractures at the club so need a cool and composed head to lead them away from danger.

Van Nistelrooy has played under some of the best managers in the world, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello, and he now gets to put that experience into practice in his first full-time Premier League job.

In an ideal world, he could have done without a game 48 hours after meeting the players as there is little he can do in that time.

But it is a chance to showcase himself to the Leicester fans early, especially as those supporters have started to turn on the club.

There should be more positivity at King Power Stadium, given fans never took to former boss Steve Cooper - but that will only last with results.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against West Ham (kick-off 20:15).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On taking the job: "Managing this club and group of players, and representing Leicester is something I am excited about and I am proud to get the opportunity."

• He added: "In two days it is difficult to make a lot of changes, but as staff we have started making necessary changes to style of play, training and structure of the team."

• On what fans can expect from his team: "A back four and working together. Off the ball, it is 4-4-2 and we look to pressure the opponent. It is about having a basic structure. I am not a romantic manager that puts style in front of results. We approach every game to win."

• He confirmed he has spoken to the owner about the January transfer window: "I’m working with people at the club but I’m looking to bring in other people."

• On the owners' message to him: "The expectations are clear. They are not easy. It’s to maintain in the Premier League. It’s the big target."

• He said Conor Coady's comments on Leicester "being in a dark place," was the first thing he addressed when he met the players for the first time on Sunday: "It is about reacting and getting clarity in how we are going to do things."

• Before taking the job, Van Nistelrooy spoke to former Foxes boss Enzo Maresca, who was "very positive" about the club.

• Midfielder Harry Winks will not be available for Tuesday's game but Van Nistelrooy confirmed "it is not a long-term groin injury" and he should return to group training soon.

• Caleb Okoli "looked good" in training today, despite being forced off against Brentford on Saturday. The centre-back should be able to play if he has no "reaction" to the session.

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

Full commentary of Leicester City v West Ham on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra on Tuesday at 20:15 GMT

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Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown says going into Leicester "is a massive task" for Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Dutchman was there to watch his new club lose 4-1 to Brentford on Saturday, as defender Conor Coady described the team as being "in a dark place".

"It seems a real mess and Van Nistelrooy has a lot to learn quickly," said Brown on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "He had a nice rosy start at Manchester United but he is right in the deep end here."

Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker added: "The first thing he has to do is get the dressing room reunited and on the same page. Forget the fans and everything else because he needs to get those players on side.

"One thing he probably learned from watching them this weekend was that they cannot play a back three. They were all over the place.

"In these situations the best thing he can do is get them to go back to basics and sometimes you have to butter up players to get the confidence back into them.

"It is a massive, massive task to keep this Leicester side up, but I think they have just about got enough to do it."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived at Leicester's Seagrave training ground for the first time on Sunday for a debrief and training.

Caretaker boss Ben Dawson gave the new manager an overview following Saturday's wretched 4-1 defeat at Brentford, which Van Nistelrooy watched from the stands.

The overall, immediate challenge he faces is to unite a fractured club which has already started to split.

Mads Hermansen and Bobby de Cordova-Reid, an unused substitute, were among the few players who ventured over to the away support on Saturday.

The others kept their distance following chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" from the away end at Gtech Community Stadium. The defeat also followed the Christmas party in Copenhagen, with their behaviour criticised by the supporters and the club.

Fans also sang against director of football Jon Rudkin, who has overseen appointing four managers in the past 20 months.

Results elsewhere went for the Foxes so their position in 16th went unchanged, but with so many games in the lead-up to Christmas the table at the bottom could look drastically different come the new year.

Van Nistelrooy, who faces the media later on Monday, will take charge for the first time when West Ham come to King Power Stadium on Tuesday and needs quick results to repair the widening gap between the club and the fanbase.

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

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

Chris: We were so dominant and should have scored more. That said, Leicester tried to press us constantly but without end result. I'm so happy for Kevin Schade, who was injured for too long after joining us but now, like Mikkel Damsgaard, is starting to blossom. I can't believe where we are in the table!

Michael: They have improved way beyond my expectations. I'm still amazed at the great strides they have made since the start of this season. The top six is within sight! Thomas Frank must be pressing the right buttons for this amazing start to the season.

Ian: If Brentford can cure their poor away form and maintain their fortress-like vibes at the G-tech, then European football is surely not beyond them. Brentford are a much better side with better players than they get credit for. People should not forget that their achievements this season have been made while missing two or three of their regular defenders due to injury.

John: The difference this season is that the manager has almost a full team of players to pick from, with not so many injuries as previously. The home record is fantastic, but the Bees haven't yet been tested against a top team - Manchester City, Liverpool etc.

Leicester fans

James: Gutless, chaotic and all over the place. There will be much for Ruud van Nistelrooy to ponder, in very little time, before Wednesday. We have a defensive setup currently not fit for purpose, nor for keeping Mads Hermansen. We have a midfield that lacks quality, and an ageing Jamie Vardy still trying to defy the years with decreasing efficiency. A fractured club, on and off the pitch.

JC: An absolute shocker. Ruud has a massive job on his hands to lift the club. There are too many egos floating around. Hopefully, Ruud will make some brave decisions and we can start afresh because, at the minute, we are a mess.

Ray: Probably our worst performance of the season. No passion, no heart, no skill. I can only hope that Ruud acts to weed out the feeble prima donnas in our team, starting with Wout Faes who, as an international player, would not get into my local pub team.

Juan: How we can keep picking James Justin and Faes is unbelievable. Every goal we concede is nearly always down to them. Van Nistelrooy's first job is to get our defensive shape and positioning right. Good luck!

Image source, Getty Images

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has been outlining what he believes Ruud van Nistelrooy's first jobs should be as Leicester City manager on Match of the Day, after the Foxes suffered their fifth defeat in eight games against Brentford.

"He has got a hell of a job [ahead of him]," Murphy suggested. "I think the first thing is trying to build some confidence and getting the lads enjoying their football a little bit again.

"Then he has got to make a decision on what style he wants to play. Obviously the fans have been a little bit disgruntled with Steve Cooper's pragmatism, but I don't think they can play too openly because we saw what happened in this game.

"They have got some half-decent fixtures coming up where they will feel like they can get some points. They have four home games in the next six, so that's not too bad for him.

"I'm excited to see what he can do."

Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

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Former Leicester City striker David Nugent says he did not see any "fight" or "work-rate" after the Foxes went 3-1 down against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium in front of new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Nugent said: "It was a hard watch, especially towards the end, after such a positive start. It just felt like the players gave up. The third goal killed us.

"In the second half, we didn't even lay a glove on them. [Stephy] Mavididi came on and looked sharp. Luke Thomas was excellent throughout - even though we were beaten 4-1, he kept their danger man [Bryan] Mbeumo really quiet.

"It is frustrating because sometimes, in these games, you need that fight and I didn't see that. When the team is struggling, you are looking for someone to make a tackle or close someone down. I didn't see any work-rate."

On Van Nistelrooy being in attendance, Nugent added: "It's not ideal getting beaten 4-1 when you have your new manager watching in the stands. He is probably thinking: 'On Tuesday, what am I going to do?'

"He probably looked at that performance and saw two players who made an impression. It is not enough. You need to show the new manager you want to play for this club - and I didn't see that.

"I saw 60 minutes of players looking like they didn't want to be outside on the football pitch.

"I've played in games when you are 4-1 down and it is hard to keep going, but you have fans that have travelled from Leicester all the way down to London. They will respect you more if you show effort on the pitch.

"The least you can do at that scoreline is try your hardest, but I didn't see any of that."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Brighton and Southampton.

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

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 1-1 Newcastle United

• West Ham United 2-5 Arsenal

The latest When You're Smiling podcast has landed.

BBC Radio Leicester's Jack Rafferty has been mulling over Leicester City's latest Premier League defeat with former Foxes striker David Nugent, who says the game was a "hard watch after such a positive start".

Plus hear post-match reaction from caretaker boss Ben Dawson.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Defender Conor Coady has admitted that Leicester's squad are in a "dark place" after their 4-1 thumping at Brentford.

Kevin Schade's first senior hat-trick and Yoane Wissa's leveller completed the Bees' comeback in west London on Saturday afternoon.

Facundo Buonanotte gave the Foxes a shock lead against the run of play, but the hosts raced into a 3-1 lead before half-time with Schade completing his treble just before the hour.

Defeat - a fifth in their last eight games - came in front of incoming new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who watched on from the stands.

The squad were also criticised for their Christmas party in Copenhagen last weekend, with caretaker boss Ben Dawson confirming they had been spoken to by the club this week.

"We are in a dark place at the moment. We have got to pull ourselves through it and look at ourselves in the mirror," Coady told Sky Sports, with Leicester City 16th in the Premier League and one point above the relegation zone.

"We will see new manager in training tomorrow. There is a full season to go, the new manager is coming in tomorrow and we have to go from there."

Van Nistelrooy sat next to owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha at Gtech Community Stadium, after his appointment was announced on Friday.

Dawson will debrief Van Nistelrooy on Sunday, with Coady "looking forward to" working with the ex-Netherlands international.

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Leicester City have won just one of their last 15 away games in the Premier League (D5 L9), keeping just one clean sheet and conceding 34 goals (2.3 per game) in this spell.

Facundo Buonanotte has scored four goals in 11 Premier League games for the Foxes, as many as he has netted in 40 appearances for his parent club Brighton in the competition.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City caretaker boss Ben Dawson has been speaking to Match of the Day following the defeat: "As expected. We knew coming here about Brentford's home record and the crowd getting behind them.

"We got ourselves in front with the goal and decision-making in key moments have contributed to the scoreline. Not so much the first one, but the second one we are down to 10 men and then the third just before half-time.

"They hit hard. We showed some good play for some parts of the game.

"The thinking was to try to get three points. We reassessed everyone and thought that the best way was to go out to get three points."

On whether he has had any contact with new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy: "Only last night, we exchanged a few texts and we'll catch up tomorrow.

"A bit of a challenging afternoon. It can be a lonely place stood on that touchline, but everyone was excited when the announcement was made yesterday so hopefully that positivity continues."

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City defender Conor Coady has been speaking to Sky Sports following the heavy defeat: "We weren't good enough. We are conceding too many goals and not creating enough chances. We are in a bad place, but only we can get ourselves together. We are in a dark place at the moment.

"We have got to pull ourselves through it and look at ourselves in the mirror. We have got to look at ourselves. We will see new manager in training tomorrow. There's a full season to go, the new manager is coming in tomorrow and we have to go from there.

"We need to get better at a lot of things. We are not doing things well enough. We can't accept that as a club, as players and as a team. We need to really build and get better."

On the mood in the dressing room: "Down - but there's a lot [of players] who need to take responsibility. We need to speak to each other and get the best out of each other.

"We've had a few team meetings this week, just the players. We have to do that because we have to look at ourselves, that's what good teams do. We're not showing that we are a good team at the moment.

"We are giving too many chances away - the whole team. I look at myself individually and there's a lot of players that need to do that too."

On Ruud van Nistelrooy coming in as manager: "We are looking forward to it, having a new manager come in and show us where we need to get better.

"We've been here before and we have to take responsibility and try to get better."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Brentford fans, let us know your thoughts, external

How did you think you performed, Leicester supporters?, external

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

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Leicester

• Crystal Palace v Newcastle (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Nottingham Forest v Ipswich

• Wolves v Bournemouth

• West Ham v Arsenal - 17:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-offs 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 13, he takes on boxer Sunny Edwards who is a Chelsea fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Ruud van Nistelrooy has now been confirmed as Leicester's new manager, and he will be in attendance at Gtech Community Stadium.

The smart move would probably have been to distance himself from this game because, with five wins and a draw so far, Brentford have got the best home record in the Premier League this season.

If you are Ruud, you jet in after the game - Heathrow Airport is not far away - and jump on the team bus for the trip home after the Foxes get pumped.

I have got some sympathy for Steve Cooper over his dismissal by the way. Leicester were always going to struggle this season.

There are all sorts of stories flying around about how the players never bought into his methods. Maybe there is an element of it where the Leicester players think they are better than they are, but they certainly need to improve their timing.

There are photos of the squad out in Copenhagen this week for their Christmas party, and if they are holding that in November then something is wrong - although I must admit we have had the decorations up at our house for three weeks already.

Edwards' prediction: 1-2

I reckon Leicester will find something here, there will be a reaction to seeing the manager get sacked.

Read the full predictions and have your say