Ruud van Nistelrooy acknowledges Leicester City’s early leavers but prefers to focus on the fans at the King Power Stadium who continue to support his team despite their poor run of results.
Leicester will return home on Sunday (7pm) to face Manchester United, aiming to break their streak of dismal home form.
The team has lost their last six home league matches without scoring a goal, setting an unfortunate top-flight record in English football.
The heaviest defeat in that stretch was a 4-0 loss to Brentford, where fans began leaving the stadium in the first half with the team already 3-0 down.
Van Nistelrooy remarked, “It has been mentioned that the Leicester crowd sometimes turns against their team,” but instead of focusing on those fans, he emphasized the importance of the supporters who stay to cheer the team on.
“We need to show that we can bring the same performance as we did against Chelsea to the King Power Stadium in a big match against Manchester United,” van Nistelrooy said during his Friday press conference. “We know that if we perform at that level, we will be supported. While some fans may leave in disappointment, there are others who stay and continue to back us, and we respect that.”
If his team can deliver a performance similar to their showing against Chelsea last Sunday, van Nistelrooy will be content.
When asked how the team compares to a month ago, when they lost to United in the FA Cup, van Nistelrooy replied: “Results-wise, we’re not in a better place, but the recent game against Chelsea and the changes in structure were positive. It’s something we want to build on, improve, and carry into our home games.”
“The away support was incredible, and it gave us a boost. As a manager and a squad, we understand that some sections of the crowd may turn against the team when things are tough, but there is definitely a large group of fans who consistently support us. I want to highlight that and express our appreciation for them.”
Van Nistelrooy emphasized that the team’s performance will determine how the crowd reacts. “The away section at Chelsea was fully behind us for the entire 95 minutes because of our performance, energy, and quality of play. We want to replicate that on Sunday and win the crowd’s support.”
“I also want to acknowledge the fans who have always been there for us. While it’s been mentioned that Leicester’s crowd can sometimes turn against the team, which is understandable during tough times, there are many who have stuck by us through difficult moments. We appreciate all of them, but today, I want to focus on those who keep supporting us.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy addresses Leicester City’s early leavers and makes ‘we know’ point
