Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

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Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

We have to keep fighting following Friday night’s disappointing defeat at home to Brentford, says Ruud van Nistelrooy.

2025-02-22T09:00+00:00

by Sam Jones

Published

22 Feb, 2025

Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

We have to keep fighting following Friday night’s disappointing defeat at home to Brentford, says Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Sam Jones

2025-02-22T09:00+00:00

Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

We have to keep fighting following Friday night’s disappointing defeat at home to Brentford, says Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Sam Jones

2025-02-22T09:00+00:00

Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

We have to keep fighting following Friday night’s disappointing defeat at home to Brentford, says Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Sam Jones

2025-02-22T09:00+00:00

Van Nistelrooy: You Have To Keep Hope

We have to keep fighting following Friday night’s disappointing defeat at home to Brentford, says Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Sam Jones

2025-02-22T09:00+00:00

Thoughts from Ruud van Nistelrooy following Leicester City’s 4-0 reverse at home to Brentford
A trio of first-half goals from the visitors put the game beyond doubt, he said post-match
The gap between the sides was too great, the 48-year-old analysed

The Foxes were beaten by the Bees at King Power Stadium, losing 4-0 to Thomas Frank’s side on a disappointing evening that leaves us 19th in the Premier League table, two points from safety ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

Reflecting on the game, City’s Manager felt that his side started well and, had one of those early chances been converted, it could have been a different story. However, things quickly turned in the visitors’ favour and they ran out deserving winners in the end.

“[It was] a bright start,” he assessed after full-time. “We should have gone up with the first three chances in the game. And then their first three chances were three goals. I have to say, in the general level, the difference between us and Brentford was big on and off the ball.

“They showed they are big steps ahead of us and credit to them. We weren’t at our best tonight and the difference became too big for us. The players tried, they gave it their all, but we all have to take responsibility for this bad performance and that’s it for now.”

Goals from Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Nørgaard saw us fall three behind at the break, and give ourselves too much of a task to get back into the game.

A couple of half-time changes, as well as the later introduction of Facundo Buonanotte, looked to try and find a spark from somewhere, but it wasn’t to be.

Now looking for a change in fortunes to turn current form around, resilience must be shown, van Nistelrooy says, with a trip to West Ham United on the horizon next Thursday.

“They kept going, but the game was done, it was basically over,” the Dutchman admitted. “They controlled the game and we couldn’t get any pressure on to create something to get a quick first goal and get some momentum going.

“You have to keep hope, but the difference today between us and Brentford was too big and we have to acknowledge that and take responsibility. From all of us, not only from the players, but from me and everybody at Leicester City Football Club.

“We’re in a difficult place. Today we approached it very positively after some good performances against good teams and wanted to show that again today. And then we didn’t even make it a game and that’s really painful. We have to move on from here.

“Tomorrow we will start looking at the next game. Tonight is a big disappointment that we have to recover from.”

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