Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

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Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

Ruud van Nistelrooy felt we paid the price for a ‘tough start’ in Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

2025-04-03T08:55+01:00

by Sam Stevens

Published

03 Apr, 2025

Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

Ruud van Nistelrooy felt we paid the price for a ‘tough start’ in Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Sam Stevens

2025-04-03T08:55+01:00

Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

Ruud van Nistelrooy felt we paid the price for a ‘tough start’ in Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Sam Stevens

2025-04-03T08:55+01:00

Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

Ruud van Nistelrooy felt we paid the price for a ‘tough start’ in Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Sam Stevens

2025-04-03T08:55+01:00

Van Nistelrooy: We Didn't Create Enough

Ruud van Nistelrooy felt we paid the price for a ‘tough start’ in Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Sam Stevens

2025-04-03T08:55+01:00

Ruud van Nistelrooy gives his assessment of Wednesday's defeat at Man City
First-half goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush did the damage at Etihad Stadium
Leicester City remain 12 points adrift from Premier League safety
The Manager was frustrated with City's start in the contest in Manchester

Jack Grealish’s second-minute opener increased the size of Leicester City’s task in Manchester, before Omar Marmoush doubled it before half-time.

While the score was unchanged after the interval, and the Foxes settled into the contest, they were not able to break through and put the Man City goal under any sustained pressure.

Van Nistelrooy acknowledged our lack of goals and wins in his post-match assessment and outlined the responsibility he has to maintain confidence levels in the squad.

“It was a tough start to the game,” the Dutchman said. “Knowing the run of form, the lack of goals, that we’re in, the last thing you need is a bad start to the game, especially at this place. That was a big blow.

“The second goal as well, I was disappointed with the way we gave the goals away. We were part of that. They’re good enough as they are, [Man] City, and we didn’t do well enough. It was a bad start in a bad run of form so it was really tough.

“It's the situation we’re in. Everybody is trying, we’re doing the best we can, but set-backs are extra heavy in this moment.

“With what we’re facing, the situation in the league, the 12 points that we’re behind, that asks a lot of the mental toughness and the resilience of the squad and the staff.

“It’s my responsibility to get up in the morning and keep going and be the first one to address things, to look forward, and find ways to keep ourselves together as a team and motivated to do well for the remaining games.”

The Manager found reason for enthusiasm in the second half, while admitting Leicester could have done more to put the Man City backline to the test.

“[In the second half], we were solid,” he added. “We were in a very deep block, with many people behind the ball, looking to play some counter attacks, or score from a set-piece.

“We knew, if a third goal went in, the game would be gone and we didn’t want that to happen, but of course we didn’t create enough to score.

“In the end, it was another hard one to take, and we have to react and recover. You’re looking towards the end of the game to risk more, to press a little bit higher for a goal. We tried to do that with the substitutions, but it wasn’t enough to score.”

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