“Looked At Before the Game”- Ruud van Nistelrooy Identifies Leicester City’s Shortcomings in Newcastle United Loss

It was a night where everything seemed to go wrong for Leicester City. As they took to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United, the floodgates opened, and the home side’s relentless attack tore apart Leicester’s defense. As the dust settled on the heavy defeat, Leicester’s manager had to reflect on their shortcomings. The Dutchman admitted that these were situations his team had been prepared for. However, the 4-0 defeat was a harsh reality check for Ruud van Nistelrooy, who tasted his first loss as the new manager of the Foxes.

The loss to Newcastle was a significant blow to Leicester’s survival hopes. After one win, one draw, and now one loss under van Nistelrooy’s leadership, the club found themselves slipping to 16th place, just two spots above the relegation zone. However, Jamie Vardy, who had been a key figure in Leicester’s revival under their new boss, was largely a bystander in the game. Don’t you agree? Vardy had scored twice in the first match under van Nistelrooy and provided an assist in the next, but against Newcastle, he failed to make any significant impact.

In a top league like the English Premier League, the small details matter, and speaking to Leicester’s official handle after the full-time whistle, the Dutchman reflected on what went wrong and opened up saying “Of course, looking at the result it’s a tough day. I think we had a positive start of the game. And during the first half, the momentum swung into Newcastle’s favour. Of course, then it’s important to reach half-time where you are in a close distance and stay in the game.”

The Dutchman knew that in the Premier League, every small detail counts, and failing to get those right could cost precious points. So he went on to express his disappointment, highlighting the team’s failure to defend a corner they had specifically prepared for before the match.

“Obviously it was disappointing to concede a corner that we looked at before the game. Then it’s of course a matter of these details in the Premier League that we need to get right, to get results in these places.” The second goal, which came from another set-piece just after halftime, added to the frustration. “Straight after half-time, it was the second set-piece. I think it’s something that isn’t necessary, but we obviously have to look at it.”

Leicester struggled offensively, managing only one shot on target, with Jamie Vardy isolated and teammates focused on defense. On the other side, it was Jacob Murphy who scored his first league goal at St James’ Park in over a year, helping Newcastle secure a dominant win over Leicester. Murphy opened the scoring, followed by Bruno Guimaraes’ goal early in the second half. Alexander Isak also scored and assisted Murphy for his second goal.

As Leicester’s struggles continued on the pitch, the focus quickly shifted to a worrying moment for the Foxes—Mads Hermansen, their star goalkeeper, was forced into a change during half-time. But, why?

Why was Mads Hermansen subbed off in a crushing loss to Newcastle?

“When it rains, it pours.” This is a classic expression that suggests Leicester City’s nightmare at St James’ Park which took a further blow when Mads Hermansen was forced off the pitch at halftime. With the Foxes already trailing, manager Ruud van Nistelrooy made a change, bringing in Danny Ward to replace Hermansen in goal. Unfortunately for Leicester, the change didn’t stop the bleeding. Ward conceded three more goals within the first 15 minutes of the second half, and the floodgates were well and truly open.

Do you agree? The loss wasn’t just heavy on the scoreboard, as they lost their starting goalkeeper to injury. However, the Dutchman confirmed after the match that Hermansen had picked up a groin injury. “It was disappointing that he had to come off with an injury. He will be assessed as soon as possible and hopefully, it’s a minor thing,” Nistelrooy stressed that they would wait to fully assess the injury, hinting that it was too early to make any conclusions about potential moves in the transfer market in January.

As Leicester City looks to regroup after the heavy defeat, Ruud van Nistelrooy & Co focus shifts to their next Premier League match against Wolves on Sunday.