Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Comments Hint at Boost for £15m Leicester Star, but Fans May Disagree – Opinion

The Foxes have made a promising start under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Following a heavy 4-1 loss to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, the Dutchman responded swiftly, implementing key changes ahead of his first game in charge.

These adjustments paid off as Leicester City secured a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on December 3rd.

They then faced a challenging encounter against Brighton and Hove Albion, managing a respectable 2-2 draw. Next, Van Nistelrooy’s side heads to St James’ Park for a 3 pm kick-off against Newcastle United on Saturday.

Currently, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle sit 12th in the Premier League table, while Leicester is in 16th place, five points above the relegation zone.

Ahead of the match, Van Nistelrooy addressed the media in his pre-Newcastle press conference on Thursday.

One key talking point was the manager’s injury update, as two Leicester players were confirmed unavailable for the game against Newcastle.

On a more positive note, Van Nistelrooy’s comments provided encouragement for defender Wout Faes.

Faes, who joined Leicester for £15 million, according to Sky Sports, had been a regular starter, making 45 consecutive league appearances (including in the Championship) before the managerial change.

However, the 26-year-old was benched for the games against West Ham and Brighton, raising questions about his role under the new boss.

Van Nistelrooy’s recent statements suggest Faes still has a future in the team.

As reported by Leicestershire Live, the manager emphasized the importance of all four of his centre-backs, saying: “They played well, like all starters, but I was pleased with the subs.

They changed both games. I’m glad I have four centre-backs; we’re going to need them all.”

This indicates that while competition for places remains fierce, Faes is likely to remain a key figure in Leicester’s defensive setup moving forward.