NafisaLeicester City find themselves in serious danger within the Premier League’s relegation zone. Alongside Ipswich Town and Southampton, they are among the favorites to drop down.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team has managed only four wins in 27 matches. With just 17 points, they remain five points adrift of safety.
Things aren’t getting any easier for Van Nistelrooy, either. This Sunday, Leicester City faces a tough away fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Dutchman has also been warned that his chances of keeping the Foxes in the top flight are slim unless he starts a key first-team player.
Ruud van Nistelrooy urged to give Conor Coady more game time
Despite being one of the squad’s most seasoned players, Conor Coady—who has been linked with a move away—has struggled for minutes under Van Nistelrooy.
The former Wolves captain has featured in just one league game this year, with his most recent appearance being an 11-minute cameo in Leicester’s heavy 4-0 home defeat to Brentford.
Troy Deeney is baffled by the lack of faith shown in the 32-year-old.
Discussing Van Nistelrooy’s decision to overlook Coady on talkSPORT, Deeney said:
“England international cannot get a game, in that team. Someone is going to have to explain to me what Ruud is doing to not go: ‘Right, do we have to go five at the back? Do I take one these other guys out and put him in?’
“But if Conor can’t get a game in that, then that to me, fundamentally, I don’t care about anything else, fundamentally if you’re not going to stop goals, you can’t win games.”
Co-host Scott Minto echoed his thoughts, adding:
“They’ve conceded 61 goals in 27 games and they don’t score so a recipe for a disaster is an understatement.
“But you’re right, just do something different because if you keep doing the same thing you’re going to get the same results, and do you know what, even if you do something different, you’re probably going to get the same results, but you don’t know.”
Nothing to lose
With only 11 games remaining, time is running out, and with expectations of survival so low, Van Nistelrooy has little to lose.
The writing is already on the wall, and given the circumstances, the former PSV manager is unlikely to be dismissed before the season ends. Making bold changes to his squad isn’t as much of a gamble as it seems.
As Deeney and Minto pointed out, there are far riskier players the 48-year-old could stake his reputation on than an England international like Coady.
Leicester fans will be hoping Van Nistelrooy shakes things up—including bringing Coady back into the starting XI—when they take on Chelsea this Sunday.
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