Leicester City endured a humbling 4-1 defeat against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, leaving new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy with much to ponder ahead of his first game in charge.
The Foxes, sitting precariously in 16th place before kick-off, faced a Brentford side eager to return to form. Despite their inconsistency this season, the Bees began the day five points clear of Leicester and were determined to capitalize on their home advantage.
Leicester’s day started brightly, with Facundo Buonanotte opening the scoring in the 21st minute after being set up by Jamie Vardy.
However, the early optimism quickly evaporated as Thomas Frank’s side roared back into the contest. Brentford equalized just four minutes later and went on to score twice more before half-time, leaving Leicester reeling.
The second half offered little respite for the visitors. Brentford’s relentless pressure culminated in a fourth goal in the 59th minute, effectively sealing the game and extending Leicester’s winless run.
Leicester City Player Ratings
Mads Hermansen – 5
Made some important saves early on but was let down by a disorganized backline.
James Justin – 2
Poor defensively, with both first-half goals coming down his side. A disappointing performance likely to concern Van Nistelrooy.
Wout Faes – 2
Frequently caught out of position and guilty of misplaced passes that put Leicester under pressure.
Conor Coady – 4
Struggled to deal with Brentford’s physical forwards and was ineffective in the air.
Caleb Okoli – 4
Subbed off after 35 minutes due to injury. His time on the pitch was marked by giveaways and ineffective duels.
Luke Thomas – 4
Rusty in his first start in nearly 18 months. His lack of match fitness was evident.
Boubakary Soumare – 5
Showed decent passing but lacked defensive urgency, particularly in the build-up to Brentford’s third goal.
Wilfred Ndidi – 5
Failed to impose himself in midfield, leaving Leicester’s defense exposed.
Facundo Buonanotte – 6
Leicester’s standout player, causing problems for Brentford’s defense and scoring the opener.
Jordan Ayew – 5
Good passing but offered little attacking threat, failing to register a single shot in the first half.
Jamie Vardy – 6
Worked tirelessly, assisting Buonanotte’s goal and coming close to scoring himself.
Substitutes
Jannik Vestergaard – 4
Introduced due to Okoli’s injury but struggled defensively, particularly for Brentford’s third goal.
Oliver Skipp – 3
Provided little defensive stability as Brentford continued to dominate.
Patson Daka – 3
Had minimal impact in attack due to a lack of service.
Stephy Mavididi – 3
Failed to replicate last week’s impressive cameo against Chelsea.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid – N/A
Came on too late to make an impact.
New Manager, Same Problems
Ruud van Nistelrooy, watching from the stands, now faces an uphill battle to lift a side clearly struggling with defensive cohesion and midfield control. The Dutchman was unveiled as Leicester’s new manager on Friday, signing a three-year deal to replace Steve Cooper.
With their next fixture against West Ham on Tuesday, Van Nistelrooy will need to make immediate adjustments to ensure Leicester avoid being dragged into the relegation zone. The Foxes’ vulnerabilities at the back and lack of attacking creativity must be addressed swiftly if they are to turn their season around.
