‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

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‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

Ruud van Nistelrooy encouraged his Leicester City side to play more ‘freely’ when taking on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

2025-04-12T07:00+01:00

by Sam Jones

Published

12 Apr, 2025

‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

Ruud van Nistelrooy encouraged his Leicester City side to play more ‘freely’ when taking on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Sam Jones

2025-04-12T07:00+01:00

‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

Ruud van Nistelrooy encouraged his Leicester City side to play more ‘freely’ when taking on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Sam Jones

2025-04-12T07:00+01:00

‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

Ruud van Nistelrooy encouraged his Leicester City side to play more ‘freely’ when taking on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Sam Jones

2025-04-12T07:00+01:00

‘Always Fight Left’ - Van Nistelrooy’s Brighton Preview

Ruud van Nistelrooy encouraged his Leicester City side to play more ‘freely’ when taking on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Sam Jones

2025-04-12T07:00+01:00

Heading to American Express Stadium without a win in eight Premier League matches, an immediate reversal of current form is required with seven games remaining this season. We currently sit 15 points adrift of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 17th.

Reflecting on defeat to Newcastle United earlier this week, City’s Manager also looked towards the trip to the south coast and provided insight into the planned approach during his pre-match briefing with the media on Thursday afternoon.

‘It’s a challenge’

The Foxes lost out to the Magpies on Monday.

Referencing the recent run of results, van Nistelrooy admitted that it is difficult to bounce back from this testing period, with Monday’s 3-0 home reverse against Newcastle United another setback to contend with. Now it is all about trying to restore some confidence, he believes, with the game against the Seagulls on the horizon.

“It’s clear, it’s blow after blow,” the 48-year-old commented. “It adds up and I have to say, after the game, it was visible I was hurt. You are always hurt when you don’t win and things don’t go your way. That’s what you have to recover from and when it’s every time it’s hard.

“There is always a fight left and there is always a future, whatever the scenario. When that comes to a conclusion either way there is a future and that means there is a fight, it’s always like that.

“I think it’s a challenge. It’s going on too long. It is very hard but there’s only one way to break this cycle and that’s to fight and believe that we can end it. We need personality and character.

“For me, we’re in this situation, we can’t change it and it’s how we get out of it in the short term, getting something that can ignite a move upwards. And taking full responsibility for it and being fully committed to the task. It’s why I came here.

“You learn so much in difficult times and now when you get out of this, you can use it in a great way - that’s the way I am. I’ve learnt so much in these four months and the lessons learned to shape the future; that’s my job.

“I am committed to working with the players and the Club to fight through this and show that we want to and can break this cycle.

“I’ve been lucky to win two trophies in my first season as a manager. This moment in time is very difficult. I just want to stay constant and stable. I don’t walk away from anything that is happening now. I am doing my job.

“We also know that we are among two other promoted teams; one seven above and one three points behind. We shouldn’t over dramatise and listen to all the stats happening over the last months. That’s also the general picture to put it in perspective.

“You work with your coaching staff and look at what is needed for the team. Of course, there’s a lot going on emotionally and mentally and that’s the big thing, to motivate the players, speak to them individually a lot and motivate them.

“Being the example yourself is doing my job, taking full responsibility and showing the character and personality to break this. That is the foundation to do so. The motivation part with individuals and a team is what we do a lot and holding the players accountable on game performances. With that combination you want to make things happen and then things will change.”

‘Personality and character’

Back at base this week.

The Dutchman wants to see more freedom within the system in the coming weeks as they bid to overcome the psychological challenges which he believes have thwarted progress, rather than any tactical adaptations.

“It’s clear what we want to do, I think it’s important to play freely,” he continued. “What can happen is the players worry too much, which is normal, so they are not free enough to show their qualities and that’s something where the character comes in to put that to one side.

“In these circumstances, you force yourself to be at your best and keep that mentality going and that’s what we need to show. It’s what I always look for.

“When you go to a back five to survive and get results, that could be something to change against Brighton if we want to go back to a back four. It doesn’t matter. It’s not about tactics; it’s about the mental part.

“Every game the players want to do better and want to stop this run. But when, after two minutes and 10 minutes, you get two goals against you, it’s fragile. And that happened too much.

“To stay in the game against Man City and Newcastle, we conceded too early and it was more of our faults leading into the goals than brilliant play from the opponent. That’s what we have to look at. But again, only with personality and character you can change this and get up and go again. There is no other way.”

‘We have his pathway’

Final instructions on the touchline.

Asked about 15-year-old Jeremy Monga, who became our second youngest debutant with an appearance from the bench against Newcastle on Monday, van Nistelrooy praised the contributions from a wide range of staff to nurture him to this point and outlined the planned development for future months.

“It’s great, the reward for his talent and the work that he put in,” the former PSV Manager explained. “Of course, at such a young age and being the second youngest in the Premier League says something about how early he developed already. He has the physical capabilities to do so and the mental capabilities to handle this.

"We have his pathway ready for him and we want to guide him through that. We don’t want to go too quickly or too slow and that’s a careful communication with the coaches at the Club and Andy King, who worked with him in the youth teams and is guiding him in a great way and helping him to develop to his fullest because the talent is there.

“That’s also what I mean about being committed to the now and shaping the future. Today, again, players are part of the [First Team] set-up and getting opportunities in the training sessions also and games when we feel they are ready, like Jeremy. There are more and we are closely watching them.”

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