Ruud van Nistelrooy mentioned his first week answerable for Leicester Metropolis was “hectic”, however insisted a extra measured method can be taken transferring ahead to make sure the Foxes’ Premier League survival.
Van Nistelrooy was confirmed as Steve Cooper’s successor earlier this month and has had a tremendous begin to his Foxes tenure, incomes a win over West Ham and a late level towards Brighton final day trip.
However up subsequent for the Dutchman is his first away English top-flight fixture in administration away to Newcastle United, and regardless of his promising begin, he was not wanting on the desk at this early stage simply but.
“It’s been a busy week,” Van Nistelrooy mentioned. “New concepts, two video games performed, coaching periods to organize.
“Huge compliments to everyone at Leicester for welcoming me, for serving to in any method doable and for the gamers to attach with one another within the new set-up. It’s been an excellent week.
“I don’t suppose we now have to take a look at the desk and what number of factors. It’s good that we take 4 factors ourselves and that’s the main focus. We take the 4 factors, and the gamers put in nice performances as a workforce and as people.
“That’s the goal transferring ahead, and we’re going to method each sport like that.”
Ardour for the sport pic.twitter.com/jbKHnmEjC6
— Leicester Metropolis (@LCFC) December 9, 2024
Newcastle, in the meantime, have been overwhelmed by Brentford final Saturday as their inconsistent season continued with one other tepid show on the highway.
Coming into this weekend’s conflict, the Magpies have misplaced three of their final six Premier League away video games (W1 D2), whereas in all competitions they’re winless in 4 video games (D2 L2).
They’ve solely suffered longer such runs below Eddie Howe in January 2022 (six video games) and March 2023 (5 video games), with the Newcastle boss highlighting his facet’s poor play in defence towards the Bees as pivotal to the defeat.
“We’re dissatisfied with the way of objectives we conceded. It’s not particular person errors, there’s two or three actions I’m not proud of for every aim. We’ve got to do higher in these conditions,” Howe mentioned.
“We had management of the sport within the first half, then it received away from us after the third aim. We seemed like a very good attacking unit, however we now have to place all of it collectively, and it has led to inconsistent outcomes.
Newcastle are actually with out a win of their final 4 Premier League video games, dropping them to twelfth within the desk, with Howe unable to place his finger on his facet’s inconsistency this time period.
“A wierd sequence for us, we had three consecutive wins towards actually good opponents, then we now have had combined performances. We’ve got to get it over the road,” Howe mentioned.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Newcastle – Alexander Isak
Isak has been concerned in 24 Premier League objectives for the membership in 2024 (19 objectives, 5 assists), probably the most by a Newcastle participant in a yr since Alan Shearer in 2002 (27 objectives, 4 assists).
The one Magpies gamers to attain 20+ objectives in a yr are Shearer (22 in 1999, 27 in 2002) and Andrew Cole (24 in 1994).
Leicester – Jamie Vardy
Vardy has been concerned in seven objectives in his final seven Premier League appearances (4 objectives, three assists), together with not less than one in his final three. He might change into the oldest participant to attain or help in 4 consecutive top-flight outings if he does so at St. James’ Park.
At 37-years-old, the Foxes man continues to show that age is only a quantity. He has six objectives and three assists within the Premier League this season and will change into simply the fifth participant aged 37+ to have a hand in 10 objectives in a single season.
The opposite gamers to attain this are Teddy Sheringham in 2003-04 (9 objectives, 4 assists), Gary Velocity in 2006-07 (eight objectives, two assists), Ryan Giggs in 2011-12 (two objectives, eight assists) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021-22 (10 objectives).
37 – Jamie Vardy is the second-oldest participant to attain and help in a Premier League match (37y 332d v Brighton), solely behind Ryan Giggs in December 2011 (38y 22d v Fulham). Timeless. pic.twitter.com/7jCN3QPDYu
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 8, 2024
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE WIN
Newcastle have misplaced simply one in every of their final 21 Premier League conferences with promoted sides (W12 D8), happening 1-0 at Luton City final season.
Nonetheless, the Magpies have received simply one in every of their final seven Premier League residence video games towards Leicester (D1 L5), although each instances they’ve averted defeat have come below Howe.
However they’ve shipped 3+ objectives in every of their final two Premier League video games, final doing so in three video games in a row in December and January final season. The Magpies have accomplished so on 10 events in 2024, solely doing so extra usually in 2021 (12) and 2014 (11) in a single yr.
That is Van Nistelrooy’s seventh sport answerable for a Premier League facet in all competitions this season, however the first time he’s managed a sport away from residence.
In his taking part in profession, the Dutchman performed 5 video games at St James’ Park and scored in each single sport, the joint greatest 100% scoring ratio by a participant at a venue, together with Foxes striker Vardy on the Hawthorns.
And the Foxes have loved latest journeys to the North East. They’ve received six Premier League away video games towards Newcastle, greater than they’ve versus another opponent. 5 of those victories have come of their final seven visits to St James’ Park.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Newcastle – 67.2%
Draw – 18%
Leicester – 14.8%
