Leicester City

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

After back-to-back home games against West Ham and Brighton, this was arguably Ruud Van Nistelrooy's biggest test of his brief Leicester reign so far – but the visitors fell short in every department at St James' Park.

The Dutchman was not helped by the absence of the injured Wilfred Ndidi and the suspended Boubakary Soumare, with Hamza Choudhury drafted into midfield for his first Premier League start in more than two and a half years.

He may, however, feel aggrieved at referee Thomas Bramall's decision not to book Guimaraes for going down too easily under Jannik Vestergaard's first-half challenge in the area, with the Brazilian then cautioned just moments later for a tackle on Stephy Mavididi.

Before half-time substitute stopper Ward had even touched the ball, Guimaraes had added to Jacob Murphy's first-half strike to make it 2-0.

Isak added a third three minutes later, with Murphy completing the scoring on the hour mark.

Whether Guimaraes should have been on the pitch or not, the manner of Leicester's second-half collapse will alarm Van Nistelrooy, who must now prepare his side for a crucial home game against fellow strugglers Wolves next weekend.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to Sky Sports following today's loss: "It was a big challenge to come here and if you give away the goals from set-pieces, we are not doing ourselves a favour. We could improve the structure in which we want to play with the ball. We are in a process of two weeks together. We had two positive results, but this one wasn't the best of afternoons for us.

"Against top teams in the league and we help them in their way with a couple of set-pieces in their favour and it was going to be a hard afternoon.

"I think it's development of the team as well. We need to learn form these games and how Newcastle outplayed us in counter-attacks. They were clever in the block and set-pieces. It is a long season. We move on, reflect and get better form this."

On their next match against Wolves: "Every game for us is huge. Everything has to be right to get results in the Premier League, and so will be the next one as well.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Newcastle’s performance

What did you make of Leicester’s display?

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

Read report and follow reaction

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and we will bring you all the key moments.

• Arsenal v Everton

• Liverpool v Fulham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Leicester

• Wolves v Ipswich

• Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Image source, Getty Images

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

For week 16 he takes on darts star Stephen Bunting, who is a Liverpool fan.

Bunting, who is ranked eighth in the Professional Darts Championship (PDC) order of merit, takes on Alan Soutar or Kai Gotthardt in the second round of the PDC World Championship, which starts at London's Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

I did not like the way Leicester treated Steve Cooper but they have definitely had a bounce since appointing Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has made the start he desired.

It is fair to say that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has not had the season he wanted so far, but any team who can beat Arsenal and draw with Liverpool must have something about them.

Howe's side have been consistently inconsistent, but they are not far off becoming the team he wants them to be.

I am expecting them to click here, and I actually think this will be quite straightforward for them.

Bunting's prediction: 2-1

I am going with Newcastle, but it's going to be close. 2-1.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester have won six Premier League away games against Newcastle, more than versus any other opponent.

Five of these victories have come in their past seven visits to St James' Park.

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Newcastle United (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Van Nistelrooy confirmed Wilfred Ndidi will not be available for Saturday because of a hamstring injury and Harry Winks is also "doubtful" as he has only recently returned to partial team training.

• On the impact of midfielder Ollie Skipp: "[He's] a very good age. He's a young talented player with a bit of experience already. A very good team player who helped the team against Brighton. He's very dynamic, good on the ball and can track back. He's a very good person to have around because we have injuries and suspensions so he's happy to fill in."

• On four points from his opening two matches in charge: "It's been great to use the first two games to look at what we're trying to achieve. We took that into training to further develop, how we attack and progress up the pitch and we've had a good week. Tomorrow we still have training to work on more things."

• On the mood in the camp before travelling to Newcastle: "The progress over the past two games – the results, the confidence – I want to take that into this game. In the end, the progress of the individual and the team will give you the most chance of winning points."

• On facing Newcastle: "We look at the individual qualities they have and the potential they can have. We have to prepare for that. It's a great squad with good options from the bench. We'll have to be spot on to get a result on Saturday."

• On whether there will be any transfer business in January: "It's a continuous process. I like how organised the club is in preparing different opportunities, but you can't start thinking about them. I'm first of all looking at our current squad and in the under-21s, [seeing] who's available and assessing them like Henry Cartwright."

Follow all of Leicester City's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news here.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City striker Tony Cottee says Martin O'Neill's man-management was a masterstroke in inspiring the Foxes to League Cup glory.

Speaking on the Sacked in the Morning podcast, Cottee labelled his Leicester years as the "peak" in his career but admitted the cup final defeat by Tottenham in 1999 left him certain he would not win silverware at Filbert Street.

That was, until, O'Neill intervened.

"It was just a poor final," Cottee said of the Spurs victory. "[Tottenham full-back] Justin Edinburgh got sent off and all we really had to do was just hang on to go into extra-time. With the extra man, I was pretty certain we would have gone on and won the game.

"Us being us, we just switched off and Tottenham broke, scored in the 89th minute or something stupid, and we just couldn't recover.

"When the final whistle went, I just felt sorry for myself. I had played in four English finals and I had lost all four of them - and I just lost it.

"I just remember putting my hands on my head and crying my eyes out. I had a few of the players come up to me, but I didn't want to talk to them because you're in your moment, crying on the pitch at Wembley.

"Then, all of a sudden, I had this arm on my shoulder. I recognised the voice immediately and it was Martin O'Neill."

Known as one of the game's greatest motivators, O'Neill knew what to say to turn Cottee's fortunes around.

"He went: 'Tony, don't worry. We'll be back next year'. I looked at him and I went: 'Gaffer, I'm 33 years of age. It's so hard to win a trophy. We ain't coming back next year'. He went: 'I promise you that we will be back here next year'," Cottee said.

"True to his word, the following year we got back there, somehow or other.

"We played against Tranmere. It wasn't the most glamorous of finals, obviously, but we won. We beat them 2-1 and Matt Elliott scored two goals.

"At the end of the game, to walk up the steps as a winner in my fifth final, to put the medal on, to just lift the League Cup and think: 'I've won something - it has taken me 17 years, but I've won something'...

"Again, that was a masterstroke from O'Neill to just give me the encouragement to go again the following season."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

And on the eighth day, Ruud van Nistelrooy did not rest but instead continued to raise the dead.

OK, let's not get too excited. Ruud is not God, yet. But what he has done in eight days is nothing short of a miracle.

He has taken a team who, against Brentford in particular, looked like a pub team on a Sunday morning after a heavy session the night before. Although, that could be being unfair to pub sides around the country.

First up was West Ham on Tuesday night. You could argue, quite rightly, that West Ham were the better team. They ended up with an expected goals of 3.0, but that was also our goal tally against their one goal.

The busiest man during that game was the groundsman, who had to pick up all the limbs we left out on the pitch. It was a true game of grit and determination, something which I had not seen in a while - in two days we had become Ruud van Nistelrooy's Avengers.

But one swallow does not make a summer and next we faced Brighton which on paper have been a much harder game.

Coming off a loss to Fulham, with a point to prove and a European challenge to reignite, I think we all would have probably taken a point at kick-off.

Well we got that point - and we also got another performance of similar character.

Yes, we came back from two goals down to beat Southampton but they are no Brighton and they are bottom for a reason. Even at 2-0 down, I was pleased with the performance at King Power Stadium.

Let's see what Van Nistelrooy makes of the team in the upcoming games, and what moves he might make in the January transfer window.

Foxes never quit? Well, they don't now.

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

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper believes Jamie Vardy will reach the 150 Premier League goals club this season, after the 37-year-old's strike against Brighton brought him within eight goals of matching Michael Owen's record.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Piper said: "The only thing that would stop him doing it this season is maybe injury. He is getting older, so he will pick up little niggles here and there, but we have just got to hope that he has a season clean from injury.

"If he does, I think he will get there. Let's go one step further: could he get into the Premier League's all-time top 10 goalscorers this season? I think why not, especially now we have Ruud [van Nistelrooy] as manager!

"Number 10 is Jermain Defoe on 162 goals, so Vardy probably won't get there this season but he will keep playing until he gets into that top 10.

"I'm not saying that in jest, I'm being serious. But, if he doesn't get there [in his career], it doesn't matter.

"The level Jamie Vardy operates at - only starting at top-flight level when he was 27 years old, scoring the amount of goals he has, becoming the player he has become, Enzo Maresca is saying he is better than Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane - is magnificent.

"It would just be amazing if he could be in that top 10. His career isn't over yet - I don't think it's anywhere near finished yet - so if he could push himself into that top 10 it would be much deserved for the player he has been over the years."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City captain Jamie Vardy is proving why the Foxes "still need him in the team" believes former Foxes winger Matt Piper, after the striker scored and assisted in Sunday's comeback draw with Brighton.

"This is why he is the GOAT," said Piper on the When You're Smiling podcast. "When you get a chance like that late on to grab an equaliser, against a really good Brighton side, and you are that unselfish to roll it to a man that is in a better position, it is huge.

"Especially knowing that Bobby [De Cordova-Reid] was going to score the chance and he [Jamie Vardy] probably had a 70% chance of scoring, because it was a tight angle.

"To be that unselfish and that calm - in that moment - was huge. It was just deserved for Leicester.

"This is why you still need him in this team. If he is fit, he is the first name on the team sheet. He has all the experience, he is still quick and he can still finish.

"I'm hoping that he will go on to beat Michael Owen's record [of 150 Premier League goals] this season.

"We call him the GOAT for a reason. We say every season that we need a statue for him. The more he keeps having goal contributions like this, he is only going to make it more definite that his statue is erected soon."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

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

Here are some of your comments:

Leicester fans

Vincent: I thought from the offset we looked composed, organised and positive in our play. We looked on par with a very good Brighton team. It looked like we were playing under Enzo again at times. You could see the quality of Brighton and their goals took the wind out of us. Ruud made some astute changes and after Vardy's goal we looked on to get something. I'm glad I stuck around for it! Brilliant!

Lewis: Great game. We lacked a bit pace upfront so the ball over the top was never on, yet we played it over and over again. But some great football out there. Soumare and El Khannouss both played amazing - tracking back and winning it back. Defensively Kristiansen did not do very well with two goals from the left side, though he was played quite high up. Overall we fought to the end and got a point.

Steve: If we had 12 Jamie Vardys we'd be regularly winning the Champions League. The guy's a genius and next to Gordon Banks a deserved club legend.

Brighton fans

Tim: To throw away a two-goal lead to a bottom six side late on - yet again - is a sign of a poorly coached side unfortunately. Hurzeler is not learning from mistakes and is too naive for the Premier League.

Ben: Taking off Ayari and Mitoma was an error. We lost control and gave away two more points. We are looking more like Spurs each day- brilliant one moment but with a soft belly.

James: If we are serious about becoming a team who consistently challenges for European spots then we need to weed out the individual mistakes and complacency that has caused us to throw away two-goal leads to Wolves and Leicester, as well as drawing with lowly Ipswich and Southampton. Beating City, United and Spurs is all well and good but the results against teams we're expected to beat need to follow as well.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper believes the Foxes look "a lot more confident" under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, after fighting back from two goals down against Brighton.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Piper said: "I thought they played well. The chances didn't come as they did against West Ham and Brighton were ruthless in front of goal [but] we had some chances. They are clearly a lot more front-footed and they press the game a lot higher under Ruud.

"Don't forget - this is a Brighton team that are flying high at the minute, although they had a poor result recently.

"But the team didn't lose the belief, even though a lot of the crowd did. You can throw eggs at me when I come out of the ground, but I just don't like that. Whether we are winning or losing, if you are a supporter then the majority should stay and support the team.

"The people that did [stay] got rewarded for it. I'm so pleased for the club, the team and the players.

"Under Ruud, at the minute, the confidence and 'never-say-die' attitude to keep going until the end is amazing."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Mark Chapman presents highlights and analysis from Sunday's four 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 Sunday's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Fulham 1-1 Arsenal

• Leicester City 2-2 Brighton

• Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea

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

Matt Piper analyses Sunday's draw with Brighton, and Ruud van Nistelrooy gives his thoughts on the match.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds