Leicester City travel to West Ham on Thursday night with an immediate return to the Championship looking more and more likely.
Currently five points from safety, the Foxes have lost 10 of their last 11 in the Premier League, picking up just three points in that time courtesy of their win at Spurs at the end of January.
That includes losing all of their last six home games without scoring a goal, a new Premier League record.
The latest mauling at the King Power came at the hands of Brentford last Friday night, Thomas Frank’s side easing to a comprehensive 4-0 win.
It was a defeat that piled the pressure on current Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Dutchman the focus of criticism and boos from fans inside the stadium as a result.
Gary Lineker repeats view that sacking Steve Cooper was a mistake
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Gary Lineker again shared his view that Leicester’s decision to relieve former manager Steve Cooper of his duties at the end of November was “premature and harsh.”
Lineker explained: “Leicester weren’t in the relegation zone when Cooper was in charge, Leicester were scoring in nearly every game they played when Cooper was in charge… but it’s been a struggle ever since [Cooper was sacked].”
The Welshman was relieved of his duties at the King Power after just 12 league games this season. He picked up 10 points in that time, leaving Leicester outside the relegation zone in 16th.
By contrast, the Foxes’ form has regressed under Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Dutchman taking just seven points from 13 games as Leicester have slipped to 19th in the table.
| Games | Points | Goals Scored | Goals Conceded | Position | |
| Leicester under Cooper | 12 | 10 | 15 | 23 | 16th |
| Leicester under van Nistelrooy | 13 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 19th |
Lineker’s views were echoed by former Premier League winner Micah Richards: “It was premature, I think we all agree on that. I think I would have stuck with [Cooper] because they were playing some decent stuff at the time. Okay they were conceding, but they were getting results.”
Not the first time this season Lineker has questioned Leicester’s board
Lineker’s latest comments come after he questioned the Leicester board at the time the decision to remove Cooper was made.
A Leicester fan himself, the former England international expressed dismay, saying on the Stick to Football podcast in November that “I was stunned [at the decision]. I mean, if Leicester had got off to a start where perhaps they had only picked up two or three points and they were kind of really locked at the bottom, you can understand why sometimes clubs will panic. But it’s not enough time for a manager to establish himself at a football club.”
Cooper only replaced Enzo Maresca at Leicester last summer, the Italian moving to Chelsea after winning the Championship and guiding the Foxes back to the top flight.
Both Richards and Alan Shearer again shared Lineker’s view, describing Cooper’s sacking in November as “harsh.”
With just 12 games of the season left, Leicester’s form must turn around quickly if they are to avoid a second successive Premier League relegation.
The post ‘Premature and harsh’ – Gary Lineker repeats Leicester view amid difficult run of form appeared first on HITC.
