Ruud van Nistelrooy Has Yet to Unleash Leicester City Fan Favourite, But Likely Will Against Brighton – Opinion

Leicester City will face Brighton and Hove Albion in a 2pm kick-off on December 8th, and the Foxes go into the match having recently earned a crucial victory over West Ham United, which helped them pull four points clear of the relegation zone.

However, despite this, the odds are still stacked against Leicester ahead of the game.

Paul Merson, in his recent Leicester vs Brighton score prediction, also made an unfavorable assessment of Leicester’s chances in the match.

Nevertheless, Foxes fans are likely to be feeling a bit more optimistic compared to just a few weeks ago, thanks to the noticeable improvement under the guidance of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Though Leicester’s defensive issues persist, Van Nistelrooy’s influence seems to be making a positive impact, particularly in the attacking department.

In his first game in charge, Van Nistelrooy deployed a front four consisting of Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss, Facundo Buonanotte, and Kasey McAteer.

The attacking quartet combined well and scored three goals, which was only the second time Leicester had managed this feat in the Premier League this season, the last being against Bournemouth in early October.

However, Buonanotte will miss the game against Brighton due to the fact that he cannot play against his parent club.

As a result, Van Nistelrooy will need to make at least one change to his attacking line-up for the fixture.

This provides an opportunity for Stephy Mavididi to earn his first start under the new manager.

Mavididi has yet to start a game under Van Nistelrooy’s management, and he also missed out on a start during Leicester’s recent defeat to Chelsea due to suspension.

Fans were particularly upset with the previous manager, Steve Cooper, for not starting Mavididi in that match, as the winger had looked lively when coming off the bench and was unlucky not to win a penalty following a VAR review.

Mavididi’s inconsistent starting role this season has frustrated fans, and they were particularly vocal when Cooper subbed him off against Everton.

The decision led Cooper to explain that he felt Mavididi had “run his race physically” and was out of energy, making the substitution a tactical move to bring on fresh legs in Abdul Fatawu.

While Cooper’s reasoning may have made sense from a tactical standpoint, Leicester supporters were clearly disappointed not to see Mavididi play a more prominent role.

With Buonanotte unavailable, this is an ideal opportunity for Van Nistelrooy to start Mavididi from the beginning.

The winger’s pace and creativity could prove a useful weapon in Leicester’s attack as they look to build on their recent win and challenge Brighton at home.

Fans will be hoping that the 26-year-old can finally get the chance to make a more significant impact on the pitch.