Leicester City 0-2 Fulham: Second-half storm earns visitors comfortable win while Foxes extend Premier League losing streak to seven games

Leicester City 0-2 Fulham: Second-half storm earns visitors comfortable win while Foxes extend Premier League losing streak to seven games

  • Fulham scored twice in the second half to make easy work of Leicester
  • The Foxes have won just one in nine league games under Ruud van Nistelrooy
  • LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Are Everton where they deserve to be or are the club’s fans delusional? 

Angry Leicester fans vented their frustration at Ruud van Nistelrooy and director of football Jon Rudkin as they slipped to a seventh consecutive defeat.

Second half goals from Fulham’s Emile Smith-Rowe, on his hundredth Premier League appearance, and Adama Traore helped turn the atmosphere at The King Power toxic.

Chants of “Sack the Board” and “We want Rudkin out” filled the stadium but van Nistelrooy, appointed only seven weeks ago, wasn’t spared either.

His decision to substitute creators Bilal El Khannouss and Harry Winks with the score at 1-0 was loudly booed with supporters singing “You don’t know what you’re doing”.

When Jordan Ayew was replaced later on, the fans cheered his removal.

At the final whistle, a grim-faced van Nistelrooy strode onto the pitch to console his players. The response from the Leicester fans was mainly muted – because most of them had already left before the end.

Fulham cruised past relegation strugglers Leicester to win 2-0 at the King Power Stadium

The Foxes have now lost their last seven Premier League games and languish in 19th place

The Foxes have now lost their last seven Premier League games and languish in 19th place

Ruud van Nistelrooy was berated by Leicester fans despite him enduring a short tenure so far

Ruud van Nistelrooy was berated by Leicester fans despite him enduring a short tenure so far

It added up to a miserable afternoon for The Foxes who had started brightly with Ayew denied by Bernd Leno in the opening minutes and Jamie Vardy almost forcing his former team-mate Timothy Castagne into conceding an own goal – the defender saved by his goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s reflexes.

Fulham, who are comfortably mid-table, began to improve as the first half reached its end with Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson all going close.

It prompted Marco Silva to be more positive in the second half with pace merchant Adama Traore replacing Iwobi and holding midfielder Sasa Lukic encouraged to get forward.

The visitors were rewarded by taking the lead after 48 minutes.

Raul Jimenez played in Harry Wilson and when he hooked the ball across the box Lukic nodded on for Smith-Rowe to stoop and put Fulham ahead.

It marked Smith-Rowe’s first goal since November and frustration among Foxes fans who are next-to-bottom in the league was evident.

Rudkin was the main target but when Ayew botched his finish to equalise, the fans turned on van Nistelrooy for taking off two other players instead after 64 minutes.

Within four minutes, things got worse with Leicester adding a second. Lukic was able to drive through the home midfield without a challenge being made.

Fulham are just five points off the top four and are well in the fight for European qualification

Fulham are just five points off the top four and are well in the fight for European qualification

When the ball reached Wilson on the left, he sent over a cross that was met with a brilliant sidefoot finish from Traore.

Ayew’s departure after 71 minutes to be replaced by Facundo Buonanotte was greeted with ironic cheers. It reflected the dismal mood in a misty stadium. Leicester’s magical Premier League title success of 2016 feels a very long time ago.

Leicester City 0-2 Fulham: MATCH FACTS

Leicester (4-2-3-1): Stolarczyk 6: Justin 6; Faes 6.5; Vestergaard 5.5; Kristiansen 7; Winks 6 (Skipp 64 5); Soumare 6; Mavadidi 6.5 (Daka 71 6); El Khannouss 5.5 (McAteer 64 5); Ayew 5.5 (Buonanotte 71 6); Vardy 6.5

Subs unused: Iversen (Gk), Coady, Okoli, De Cordova-Reid, ThomasBooked: Vestegaard, McAteer, Faes

Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooy 5

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno 7; Castagne 6; Andersen 7; Bassey 6.5; Robinson 6.5; Lukic 7.5 (Diop 90); Berge 6; Wilson 7.5 (King 90); Smith-Rowe 8 (Cairney 80); Iwobi 6 (Traore 45 7); Jimenez 6.5 (Muniz 71 6)

Subs unused: Reed, Pereira, Benda, Sessegnon

Goals: Smith-Rowe 48, Traore 68

Booked: LukicManager: Marco Silva 7

Referee: Michael Salisbury 6

 


Source From: Football | Mail Online

Source link

Total
0
Shares
Related Posts
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with changes to European Union data protection law, for all members globally. We’ve also updated our Privacy Policy to give you more information about your rights and responsibilities with respect to your privacy and personal information. Please read this to review the updates about which cookies we use and what information we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated privacy policy.
Blogarama - Blog Directory