Could Leicester City Be Forced Into Another Managerial Change?
When Leicester City were promoted back to the Premier League, they were expected to be among the teams that struggled. With each passing season, the newly promoted sides are the ones fighting for survival, and 2024/25 is no different. The Foxes, who sit in 18th, have already fired one manager in the hope of boosting their survival hopes, and they could be forced into another change if they’re to pull off an escape.
After Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea before the new Premier League season kicked off, Leicester City hired former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper as their new boss. Sports betting markets online rarely favoured the Foxes heading into games, and after 15 matches in charge, with Leicester winning four, drawing four, and losing seven, the decision was made to part ways with Cooper.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy, fresh off the back of a stint as caretaker manager at Manchester United, was selected as Cooper’s replacement, and the Foxes got off to a great start under the Dutchman. They defeated West Ham United 3-1 in his first game in charge and followed that up with a 2-2 draw against Brighton. However, a run of seven league defeats followed.
Van Nistelrooy was rumoured to be under pressure, with the Leicester hierarchy desperate to retain the club’s Premier League status. When the Foxes travelled to Spurs and went 1-0 down, many feared the writing was on the wall, and an eighth consecutive defeat was on the cards, but Leicester fought back and ended up winning 2-1. It was a temporary break from their dismal run, as a 4-0 away defeat at Everton followed.
The question being asked now is if Leicester should make another managerial change. Van Nistelrooy has a worse record than Cooper, with three wins, one draw and eight defeats from twelve games, giving him a points-per-match average of 0.83 compared to Cooper’s 1.07. And all hope isn’t lost. Leicester could still stay up this season.
Right now, the battle for survival appears to be between 19th-placed Ipswich Town on 16 points, Leicester in 18th on 17 points, and Wolves in 17th on 19 points. All three teams are battling to ensure they finish in 17th while condemning the other two to relegation to the second tier. So Leicester’s hierarchy must decide whether Van Nistelrooy is the man who can help them win this battle.
With tough games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool still to play, as well as relegation six-pointers against Wolves, Southampton and Ipswich, having the right manager in place to help them take as many points as possible between now and May 25 is crucial. Van Nistelrooy, along with Spurs’ Ange Postecoglu, are favourites to be fired, and if the Foxes were to make a change, could a survival expert such as Sean Dyche, proven during his time at Everton, help them pull off an ever seemingly unlikely escape?