Leicester City have made an unwanted Premier League history after suffering their eighth consecutive defeat without scoring a single goal which set a new record in the top flight league.
This latest setback of the club came in a 3-0 away loss to Newcastle United at the, where the visitors struck twice within the first 11 minutes. The result leaves Leicester hovering just above bottom-placed Southampton, who have already been relegated.
Van Nistelrooy’s side are the first Premier League club to lose eight straight games without finding the net since Sunderland endured the same fate during the 1976-77 season.
The Dutch manager was appointed in November to try and steer the club away from relegation, admitted the situation is becoming increasingly dire.
“We started with the right intentions, but again we conceded early. It’s very disappointing and worrying,” Van Nistelrooy told the BBC. “We know the form we’re in — it’s extremely difficult, especially when there are no clear positives things to build on.”
With just a handful of games left, the fixes fate could be soon decided. They will be relegated if 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers win their next two matches or if Leicester lose their next two.
Since taking over from Steve Cooper, Van Nistelrooy has struggled to halt the decline. Asked if he still feels equipped to lead the team in the relegation fight, he told Sky Sports: “It’s a difficult night. We need to reflect, recover, and deal with this latest setback. That’s all I can say for now.”
Leicester haven’t scored in the league since Bilal El Khannouss netted in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on January 26. At home, their goal drought stretches back to December 8, when Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s injury-time equaliser salvaged a draw against Brighton.
One glimmer of hope came in the 74th minute against Newcastle, when 15-year-old Jeremy Monga (15 years, 271 days) came off the bench to become the second-youngest player in Premier League history behind only Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri.
Monga, too young to wear Leicester’s sponsor-branded shirt due to advertising restrictions, made his debut in a sponsorless kit. Van Nistelrooy praised the youngster’s potential: “You saw glimpses of his quality. He’s a fantastic talent and deserved these minutes.”
Still, the head coach admitted the club’s situation remains bleak. “I came here to move the club forward, but we haven’t earned enough results. That’s not good enough — the club always comes first.”
Leicester will next face Brighton on Saturday, hoping to end their goal drought and keep their slim survival hopes alive.
