A 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace leaves Leicester City in 19th place in the Premier League standings, two points from safety with Ipswich Town and Everton having a game in hand.
After thrashing Queens Park Rangers at the King Power Stadium last weekend, the Foxes were confident ahead of kickoff – and it showed in the opening half. Leicester were fantastic in the first 45 minutes. They passed well, created plenty of chances and looked a class above the London visitors. However, they couldn’t get the vital opening goal, and Palace grew into the game, eventually sealing an away victory.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy and the players will be gutted by the result. Leicester were the better team for most of the game but weren’t clinical enough. The run of six consecutive defeats seems harsh when you consider their performances. But this is the reality of the Premier League. Leicester have been good–but not good enough. A big positive has been Nistelrooy’s coaching. While defensive issues remain, the attackers have looked sharp. Bilal El Khannouss was not afforded too many opportunities under former manager Steve Cooper but has been one of Leicester’s best players lately. The tactical ideas and structure also look clearer, with the Foxes’ fluid play a clear indicator of the Dutchman’s coaching.
Leicester City lack that extra bit of quality required to win matches
Ultimately, Leicester are lacking quality. It doesn’t help that a few of their best players are injured. Mads Hermansen, Ricardo Pereira, Abdul Fatawu, and Wilfred Ndidi would likely have all been in the starting eleven if not for injuries. The Foxes need reinforcements in the January transfer window, and they recently announced their first winter recruit–Woyo Coulibaly. The 25-year-old fullback was signed from Parma for a reported fee of £3 million. Van Nistelrooy will hope that the competition between Coulibaly and James Justin for right-back helps solidify the Leicester backline.
With over half the season gone, relegation looks likely for the Foxes. Their rivals have been picking up points lately and have done some good business in the January window. While you can never rule out anything with Leicester, it will be a huge task for them to achieve survival. A good transfer window is imperative. Van Nistelrooy knows his team is playing well, and a few key improvements could be the deciding factor for Leicester’s survival hopes.