Leicester City

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

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Ruud van Nistelrooy says the history of Leicester City is "impressive" after being unveiled as new manager.

The former Manchester United striker has signed a three-year deal at King Power Stadium but will not be in charge for Saturday's trip to Brentford. Rather, he will be in the dugout for the first time on Tuesday at home to West Ham United.

"I'm proud, I'm excited," Van Nistelrooy said. "Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic.

"They have great stories about the quality of the people working at the club, the supporters and, of course, the recent history of the club is impressive.

"I’m excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can."

Foxes chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added: "Ruud’s experience, knowledge, and winning mentality will undoubtedly bring great value to us, and we look forward to supporting him in achieving success for our fans and our club.

"He joins a club with a rich history, passionate supporters, and a talented squad, and we are all excited to see the impact he can have as we embark on this new chapter together."

For teams down at the bottom, some have that player who can save them and others are missing that talisman.

Wolves have got Matheus Cunha. If they can really get him firing, we saw last season how important he was to the team. The goal at Fulham at the weekend was one that affected that result. If Gary O'Neil can get him back to his best, he could be their potential saviour this season.

On the other hand, I do not think Southampton have that player. They relied heavily on Adam Armstrong in the Championship for goals, but I do not think he brings the same qualities we saw last season when he was able to get a consistent run of goals. Yes, Southampton are a great possession-based team but they do not have that player that will get 20 goals.

With Ipswich, they have got Liam Delap with all his attributes and they also have Omari Hutchinson too who can contribute towards the goalscoring the team needs.

When I look at Everton, I do not see them having that talisman, that player that is going to get you the goals, but as a team they have a knowhow in the Premier League. That is so important when you are fighting at the bottom. That is what Everton collectively as a team and boss Sean Dyche know how to do.

Crystal Palace have got Jean-Phillippe Mateta, they have got Eddie Nketiah, there is Ebere Eze too if they can keep him fit, so I am not worried for them. They have got a lot of injuries which has not helped and they lost two key players in the summer, but I think they have enough. If they can get players back fit, they can go on a run again like we saw at the end of last season.

And then there is Leicester. They have only really got Jamie Vardy who is ageing but does know how to score goals in the Premier League. They are struggling and I feel out of the teams battling relegation, it is Leicester and Southampton who have not got a talisman that can save them.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Caretaker managers are in an impossible position, especially when everyone is aware of the incoming new boss.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is due to be named at Leicester's new manager, replacing Steve Cooper after he was sacked on Sunday, but Ben Dawson will take charge for Saturday's game at Brentford.

Facing the media on Friday, Dawson, a former Newcastle coach, kept his answers clear and concise, although in his position there is a recognition from both sides there is little he can say definitively.

Yet he was strong and assertive when speaking about Leicester players' behaviour at their Christmas party in Copenhagen at the weekend.

He deflected questions about Van Nistelrooy and his imminent arrival but was able to show a glimpse of his character, revealing he was at laser tag with his family on Sunday afternoon when he was told of Cooper's departure.

Dawson only joined from the Magpies in July and could also follow Cooper out of the door at Leicester, depending on the make-up of Van Nistelrooy's backroom staff.

He has a chance to show his credentials as a Premier League manager at Brentford on Saturday.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Leicester caretaker boss Ben Dawson discovered Steve Cooper had been sacked while at laser tag with his family.

The former Newcastle coach was asked to take the Foxes' first team while he was relaxing during a Sunday trip out.

Confirmation of Cooper's exit came in the afternoon and Dawson had to maintain his cool having been asked to take charge.

He said: "I was at laser tag with my two boys and my wife and a group of grassroots players and parents. I tried to look relaxed and calm. Then the news breaks publicly and you face a lot of questions.

"I just tried to digest the information, reach out to Steve, Alan [Tate] and Steve [Rands] and check they were OK.

"Like the players it's my time off, I'm trying to spend a bit of time with my family, switch off and detach so I can come back refreshed and ready to go."

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Leicester City first-team coach Ben Dawson has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Brentford (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Steve Cooper's departure: "It was a little bit unexpected. Obviously I've had a few messages back and forward with Steve - first and foremost just to check that he's OK. It's never nice when three good people lose their jobs."

• He continued: "The focus has very quickly shifted to getting back in with the players, preparing training and looking forward to the game on Saturday."

• Dawson said he has not been told how long he will be in charge of the side, and on reports that Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to become the next Foxes manager, he added: "We probably know as much as you [reporters] do at the moment. We're just focusing on the game."

• Asked what priorities a new manager will have - other than winning games - Dawson said: "In these situations, it's more about stability. The one thing everybody at a football club wants at these times is some certainty. As soon as a decision is made, everybody can get behind that person and move forward."

• On the fallout from the players' trip to Copenhagen last weekend: "The lads had a couple of days off and it's their decision what they do with their time off. The issues mentioned, the club have dealt with [it] pretty quickly early in the week and everybody's moved on. The lads have been really professional, worked well and we're looking forward to the game."

• Asked if the current group of players is good enough to stay in the Premier League, Dawson replied: "Absolutely. I see them work every day, they're good footballers. At times you need a bit of luck here and there - that balances out across the season - but from what I see on a daily basis, their endeavour and quality, I think they've got more than enough to stay in this league."

• Harry Winks is "recovering well" from his injury but unlikely to feature against Brentford.

• On the Bees: "They've got a really good home record this year. Previous experiences of going there have always been that it's a tough place to go and the crowd create a really good environment for a Premier League game."

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

Former Foxes striker Matty Fryatt is sceptical about Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester City's new manager, with the club still yet to officially announce the appointment.

Speaking on the latest When You're Smiling podcast, Fryatt said: "I didn't see this coming at the start of the season! I'm not entirely sure on him, in terms of him being unproven and where Leicester City are currently at.

"He was obviously a fantastic player. He always played at the top with Manchester United, Real Madrid and those types of teams.

"He was head coach at PSV but it is usually a three-horse race in that league, so that means being at the wrong end of the table is unfamiliar.

"You look at the other managerial candidates, especially Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, they never really cut it at Premier League level.

"But the Leicester City board might be looking at it and thinking in the same school of thought as the route of Mikel Arteta, Enzo Maresca, Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick. They might be hoping that route has something behind it.

"Obviously he will get the respect for his player career, but I'm not sure as a manager because it is something different.

"The club has acted swiftly. Previously, in their relegation campaign, they were a bit late in terms of sacking Brendan Rodgers. I think it needed to be changed sooner, so they have acted quickly this time and obviously identified Van Nistelrooy as their man."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Ruud van Nistelrooy's imminent, expected, arrival at Leicester City ushers in another new era at King Power Stadium.

The former Manchester United striker will be the Foxes' fourth manager in 19 months - and the club need to get it right.

Reputations and roles will, and should, be on the line following the decision to axe Steve Cooper.

Director of football Jon Rudkin and chief executive Susan Whelan have come under fire from fans over the years and will further be in the spotlight as Van Nistelrooy's reign begins.

They did not speak to the media when Leicester were winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League quarter finals, so there is at least consistency when they do not open up when the Foxes have been struggling.

But the context to the thought process is important. Criticism will be levelled at the club and knowing the whys and the hows ensures the much-needed understanding.

Without it, the criticism may lack the important nuance needed to gauge why the club have made the calls they have.

There are also decisions to be made about those who joined during Cooper's time at the club.

Ben Dawson, first-team development coach, left Newcastle United for Leicester in July and has been in charge since Cooper's dismissal on Sunday.

He will face the media at Seagrave on Friday morning with it expected to be just a matter of time before Van Nistelrooy is confirmed.

Dawson and fellow coach Andrew Hughes left secure roles to move to Leicester, Hughes joining from Norwich City, and their positions may now be uncertain with Van Nistelrooy's impending appointment.

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

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This was a decision that Top had to get right, and one I believe he has. With other teams at the bottom improving as we stood still, sacking Steve Cooper was the right decision.

With other clubs looking like they may make a change as well, acting quickly meant we had a better choice of the managers available.

It was always going to be tough taking over from Enzo Maresca, who had been sprinkled with "Pep dust". The buzz that the fans felt when Enzo was announced just six days after lifting the Champions League trophy lifted the doom and gloom.

That was missing with the appointment of Cooper, but I feel the same buzz with the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy. And how we need that right now.

Van Nistelrooy has more managerial experience than Maresca had when he took over and he had a pretty good job interview with beating us twice in two weeks. Let's not speculate on formation, tactics etc. Will he fit players into his preferred formation or use a formation best suited to players he has? Time will tell.

He took an underperforming Manchester United team that we would have felt we had a chance against and left them unbeaten under his tenure.

The aim is still to finish 17th but I feel a lot more confident that we can achieve this now.

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

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Here are some more of your comments about the probable appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy as the next manager of Leicester City:

Phil: Bit of an unknown so therefore a risk, but an exciting one! Only time will tell, but if the board have got this one wrong then Leicester could slip into second-tier oblivion for some time. Fingers crossed it works out.

Tom: This is a great forward-thinking appointment. Steve Cooper never really had a chance to impress, but I always felt it was not the right appointment. This new direction has a special feel about it. Some much needed va-va-voom!

Alan: It's a brave, ambitious move by Leicester; however it's not without risk. He's inheriting the basis of a decent team but one that needs some key players replacing. Fans can be fickle to say the least but he'll need time to get this right. Good luck to him and hopefully the club will be prepared to give him time.

Vin: Positive move by our chairman Top. Positive coaching style of play and ambitious young coach. We desperately needed direction and hopefully the signing of Ruud will benefit us immediately in that. Looking forward to having him here.

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Despite having just two wins from their 12 league games this season, no side has scored in more different Premier League games so far this term than Leicester (11). Their only failure to score was in their most recent away match against Manchester United (a 3-0 loss).

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We asked for your views on Ruud van Nistelrooy and whether you believe the Dutchman has what it takes to keep Leicester City in the Premier League this season.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: I couldn't be happier. Ruud van Nistelrooy is the right fit for Leicester City. An attack-minded manager who will put Leicester on the front foot and develop a more expansive playing style. Being a highly decorated player himself, he will get the respect of the dressing room.

Michael: We would like to think so. However, at Premier League level, the Leicester City board are making a gigantic gamble because he's not really a tested coach. A brilliant footballer doesn't always make a first-class coach, so we will have to wait and see.

Reg: He was a winner as a player, but he has little managerial experience at this level and this Leicester squad is nowhere near that of Manchester United's. He is a legend attacking-wise, but Leicester are struggling at the back. This could be another 'Rooney appointment' but I wish him well. I hope he remembers: Foxes never quit.

Bhupesh: Van Nistelrooy's fearless nature aligns with Leicester City's ethos, making him a fitting appointment. Hopefully he can reignite Leicester's form, just as he did during his brief stint in charge at Manchester United.

Sutyon: The best appointment the club could make. He might end up doing an Enzo Maresca and leave us quickly, but he will keep us up. He already knows our weaknesses - he beat us twice!

Penri: The glamour appointment will bring a sense of excitement to us fans, but Ruud van Nistelrooy will have the same set of players (minus Abdul Fatawu) and less managerial experience. I think Steve Cooper might have just kept us up, playing dull and defensive football, whereas Ruud may well take us down fighting.

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Ruud van Nistelrooy's potential appointment is a "really interesting" one given the "unknown" around him, says former Premier League defender Gary Cahill.

The Dutchman is set to be named the new Foxes boss following the sacking of Steve Cooper on Monday.

Van Nistelrooy's only previous full-time role managing a senior side was a season in charge of PSV in 2022-23 where he won the Dutch Cup, before joining Manchester United in the summer and taking interim charge after the departure of Erik ten Hag.

"His career from a players' point of view takes care of itself, but it is really interesting for Leicester fans," Cahill told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He did well at PSV, was interim at Manchester United and did well recently in the couple of games he had, but there is going to be a slight unknown around him. At the same time, I think it will be exciting."

Ex Chelsea striker Chris Sutton added: "I have got sympathy for Steve Cooper. Twelve Premier League games in, 16th in the table and they haven't had the worst start.

"I think the Leicester players are an entitled group of players who possibly played a large part in Cooper getting the sack. I think it is a really difficult job for [Van Nistelrooy] to go into.

"As Manchester United interim boss, he beat them twice and I don't know whether that had any bearing on him getting the job. But, at the start of the season it would have always been about Leicester just staying in the Premier League.

"Maybe their expectations are higher."

Listen to the full discussion in Football Daily on BBC Sounds

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Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to be appointed as Leicester City's new manager.

The Dutchman would replace Steve Cooper, who was sacked earlier this week, just two weeks after he left his role as interim head coach at Manchester United.

Happy with the choice? It will be Van Nistelrooy's first permanent Premier League manager job, so do you think he has what it takes to keep the Foxes up this season?

Have your say, external

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Leicester fans were not happy with Steve Cooper's style of play.

They went from the Enzo Maresca team that we are now seeing is changing Chelsea's style of play to be easy on the eye, to Cooper's style which is completely different.

Thinking about what the fans might want with the next manager, Graham Potter is someone with an identity and style of play. A possession-based style of manager who is young.

But the club might also want to look at David Moyes - someone who can steady the ship, who has managed teams at the bottom and knows how to keep clubs in the Premier League. And when given time, we saw the success he had with West Ham.

For the top three things the next manager needs to focus on, I am looking at stability, identity and getting players on board early.

They have got some experience in the side and an identity is key, but having the players on board is also important as it makes the job as manager a little bit easier .

The problem is, fan expectations are so high but the jump from Championship to Premier League is massive and you need to adapt to stay in there and give yourself a couple of seasons to do that. There is going to have to be patience.

The next manager is going to have to be real with the players - they are going to be fighting relegation until the end of the season to try and stay in the Premier League and everyone at the club will have to back the new boss to help them achieve that.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

What three things would you say are key for the next manager to get right?

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After Enzo Maresca said Jamie Vardy was the "best" England striker of his generation, one of the player's former team-mates Robert Huth says his achievements have "gone under the radar".

Huth, who played with Vardy during Leicester City’s Premier League title winning campaign, said: "You watch some of his goals, he literally scored any goal possible. A tap in, penalties, obviously, you know, 30-yard screamers, left foot volley, right foot volley. Any type of goal he could score.

"He was so versatile in his goal scoring. Is he better than [Harry] Kane? Who knows. But certainly, I think he's gone under the radar in terms of what he achieved in his last 10 years.

"To come so late onto the big stage and score 100 plus Premier League goals, win the Premier League, win the FA Cup, win the Community Shield, play for England, scoring goals for them, I think it's phenomenal. The way he changed with the managers, Claudio [Ranieri] was very much on the counter attack. Then we changed to a bit more possession and still he was the top scorer for us.

"So, I think he's right to get the plaudits that he’s getting."

Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, 48, is favourite for the Leicester job after holding talks with the club's hierarchy. (Football Insider), external

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Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

As Ed Sheeran made some headlines this week.

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Leicester are looking for a 'New Man' as Cooper's reign lasted 157 days.

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Wolves' ended their 'Bad Habits' with their first away win since February.

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Tottenham achieved a nearly 'Perfect' performance and an even better 'Photograph'.

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Liverpool fans wonder what life could be like without the 'Shape of You'.

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Despite Alexander Isak not asking the Newcastle fans to 'Give me Love' they clearly showed that they 'Remember the Name.'

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And the Toon Army will be hoping Monday's loss was just a 'Small Bump'.

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