Leicester boss Van Nistelrooy wants performances to yield more points

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes his side can still escape relegation to the Championship – providing they can turn good performances into points.

The Foxes played well in the first half against Crystal Palace last night but the Londoners improved after the break and, ultimately, cruised to a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium.

It was the sixth league defeat on the trot for Leicester with Van Nistelrooy not making the impact the club hoped when they appointed him to replace the sacked Steve Cooper.

But the Dutchman has not given up hope, despite the club sitting in 19th place in the Premier League, two points from safety.

On our position in the league 🔵

“We desperately want to be out of this situation, and we know every game that we’re not collecting points makes it more difficult. There are three or four teams very close together, it’s up to us to make it happen.” pic.twitter.com/RkNPjSISyT

— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 16, 2025

He said: “We’ve talked about it for a while now. It’s a matter of getting those good performances into points and that’s the target because we know where we are in the league. We know only points can get us out of the situation.”

Next up is a home game with Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Van Nistelrooy added: “Desperately we want to be out of that situation by the end of May and we know that every game that we don’t collect, that’s one game gone and it makes it more difficult. 

“We also know we are in a position with three or four teams very close together, they are also dropping points and that makes the situation still possible. But it’s up to us to start collecting, we are fed up of that [performance and no result].”

Van Nistelrooy hoping to add to Coulibaly signing

Leicester made their first January signing yesterday by bringing in full-back Woyo Coulibaly from Parma for £3million.

The 25-year-old has not yet been able to train, however, and may not be thrown in at the weekend.

Van Nistelrooy added: “Today he wasn’t able to train with the team because we are finalising the paperwork. So we are waiting on today, if he can train with the team. 

“Obviously we have to assess him and it’s one training session before the game. We’ll see if we can get him involved in the game on Saturday. I think that will be the maximum possible.”

Van Nistelrooy hopes Coulibaly will be the first of several additions in the January window. He said: “We’re working on it, on every possibility that we can add. Permanent and loan as well, within the possibility of the club. We needed an extra right-back because of the injury to Ricardo [Pereira]. Hopefully we can add some more.”