It's been everything to me - Vardy on Leicester tenure When ref David Webb sank to the floor after being accidentally shoulder barged by Jordan Ayew in Leicester's 2-0 victory over Southampton at King Power Stadium he took the opportunity to halt a Saints attack by blowing the stricken official's whistle "I saw Southampton breaking down the left and with the ref down I thought I'll blow his whistle to stop the game," Vardy said with a smile to BBC Match of the Day Although Webb was unable to continue - replaced by fourth official Sam Barrott - he was able to walk off the pitch unaided having scored Leicester's opener moments earlier with a crisp finish in the 17th minute That was his 199th goal for Leicester - the club he is leaving after 13 years when his contract expires in the summer The striker has three more games left this season to reach the 200-goal mark make his 500th appearance for the club and cement his status as one of Leicester's greats "It's been everything," Vardy said when asked what Leicester meant to him "It's been mine and my family's life for 13 years We've been taken in by the fans and the whole city and it has meant every single thing to me personally "When it's been your life for that long and you see the camaraderie with the fans and my team-mates for the last 13 years Jamie Vardy blew referee David Webb's whistle after he went down injured Not only did Vardy's finish take him closer to that 200-goal milestone but it ended a nine-game club goalscoring drought at home "If there was one player to break this cycle it had to be Jamie," Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said Very important for him and the team to get us in front." who announced he would leave the club last week said he "couldn't tell" what his future has in store "I am enjoying my football and I need a nice break to mentally and physically fully refresh and then we'll see where that goes," said Vardy "There's still a few more games where hopefully there can be a few more numbers added." It has been a disappointing final season for Vardy at Leicester while their relegation back to the Championship was confirmed on 20 April Leicester defender Conor Coady said the Foxes would make the remaining three games of the season all about Vardy who he said was a "pleasure to call a team-mate" I'm not going to beat around the bush," Coady said "He's Leicester's best ever player so we need to make sure the last couple of games are about him." 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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. With Leicester leading 1-0 after taking a 17th-minute lead through Jamie Vardy's 199th goal for the club the game was halted in the 21st minute after Webb who was taking charge of the first Premier League match of his career was knocked to the ground in an accidental collision with Ayew Vardy crouched beside him and blew the whistle that was still in the stricken referee's hand Jamie Vardy appeared to blow the referee's whistle while he was lying injured on the pitch. Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesVardy then walked away from Webb as the seriousness of the referee's injury prompted concern among players who called for medical treatment to help the official "I saw Southampton breaking down the left and with the ref down I thought I'll blow his whistle to stop the game," Vardy told BBC Sport After five minutes of treatment on the pitch Webb appeared unsteady as he returned to his feet but was able to walk off the pitch before heading to the dressing room for further treatment He was replaced by fourth official Sam Barrott who restarted the game between the two already-relegated teams after the 11-minute delay Ayew recovered to score Leicester's second as they earned all three points at the King Power Stadium. "I felt sorry for the ref," Leicester head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy told a pos-tmatch news conference. "He hit a brick wall called Jordan Ayew, and that 's not easy. Vardy blew the whistle to help him out. I hope he's OK. "We had to wait for 12 minutes, warm up and then start again, but I have not seen a body check like that for a long time." Referee David Webb appears injured after a collision with Leicester City's Jordan Ayew (right) as Jamie Vardy blows the referee whistle to stop play during the Premier League match at the King Power Stadium, Leicester Leicester City captain Jamie Vardy took matters into his own hands on Saturday by blowing the referee’s whistle to stop play after the official had gone down injured. Midway through the first-half of Leicester’s Premier League game with fellow relegated side Southampton, referee David Webb suffered an accidental collision with Leicester’s Jordan Ayew and collapsed to the floor holding his head while play continued around him. Vardy – who will leave Leicester at the end of the season after 13 years at the club – jumped into action, lifting up Webb’s arm to blow his whistle, which was wrapped around the referee’s right hand, in order to stop the game. Webb was treated by medics before being removed from the pitch and replaced in the middle by fourth official Sam Barrott. Earlier, Vardy had scored his 144th Premier League goal, taking him level in the charts with Robin van Persie. Ayew then added a second after scoring a rebound from his own free-kick which had hit the wall. The delay in treating Webb and readying Barrott to replace him led to 12 minutes being added on to the end of the first half at the King Power Stadium. Leicester were quickest to find their feet again after the 12-minute delay and doubled their lead after 44 minutes when Ayew hit a powerful drive into the bottom corner from outside the box after the Ghanaian had struck a free-kick into the wall. The lively El Khannouss almost scored a third for the hosts in first-half stoppage time when his attempted cross looped onto the top of the bar. Southampton's performance could only improve after the break and they came close to pulling a goal back when Stolarczyk did well to keep out Paul Onuachu's header from Kamaldeen Sulemana’s cross. It was only a brief flurry from the visitors, with Leicester almost adding to their lead further when Wilfred Ndidi’s shot from El Khannouss’ corner was deflected wide. Vardy almost reached his 200-goal milestone when his free-kick was beaten away by Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. El Khannouss ignored the chance to play in Vardy as he rolled a shot wide after breaking into the Saints half with seven minutes left as the hosts coasted to a rare victory. just shy of the 28 needed to take full control in the local elections on Thursday The Conservatives have ruled out a coalition after losing control of Leicestershire County Council The authority fell into no overall control after Reform UK won 25 seats, just shy of the 28 needed to take full control in the local elections. It is the first time the Tories have not been in charge at County Hall in almost a quarter of a century as they secured 14 seats, the Liberal Democrats 11, Labour took two seats and there was one each for Green and an independent. Deborah Taylor, who was acting leader of the council prior to the elections, said: "We see that people want change and they have voted for the majority group of Reform UK to be in charge at Leicestershire County Council." "We have decided we will be a strong opposition to them," added Taylor, who held on to her seat in the Bradgate division. "We will hold them to account and make sure they abide by their promises." Farage hails 'unprecedented' Reform win after beating Tories and Labour at local elections Among Reform's headline wins was Michael Squires taking Valley from Conservative leader Nick Rushton. Reform UK's cohort of 25 councillors have now met at County Hall after becoming the largest party. Newly-elected Reform councillor for Whitwick Joseph Boam said: "It is a huge honour to have been elected on to the county council. "I'm looking forward to delivering for the people of Whitwick and Leicestershire. "Let's not forget the sheer importance of what has happened here. From a standing start we are now the largest party in Leicestershire County Council. "The message from local residents is clear: They want change and Reform UK will deliver that." Image source, ReformImage caption, Reform councillors have met together for the first time Earlier on Saturday, Lib Dem leader Michael Mullaney, who held De Montfort for the party, told the BBC he was open to discussions. He added: "With different parties winning seats, we'll have to see how things go in terms of going forward. "If parties agree with the Liberal Democrats' policies of investing more in roads and pavements, investing more in special educational needs and public transport and flood prevention, then we'll talk to any party." AnalysisBy Tim Parker, BBC Leicester political reporter After years of opposing each other in the council chamber at County Hall, it was always going to be a very big ask to get Leicestershire Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour to suddenly put aside their differences and work together to form a new administration. The Conservatives have clearly ruled that out for now. That leaves Reform UK with the option of either governing in a minority administration or trying to form a coalition with parties towards the opposite end of the political spectrum. Either way, the path ahead for Reform in Leicestershire won't be easy. 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'I want to give my island business away for free' VE Day moments so far - and what's still to come Custom fireworks and standby firefighters: How the Vatican makes its smoke signal Long-distance romance and closure from husband's death - your memories of Skype Parking chaos and poo: The price of Mam Tor's fame Polygamy and pageantry on display at a mass wedding in South Africa How Katy Perry became the Hot and Cold popstar Politics Essential: Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday Louis Theroux visits the West Bank to meet Israeli settlers Martin Sanders has a smile on his face as he makes that comment It’s an hour before kick-off outside the King Power Stadium the club Sanders has fanatically followed for the past 34 years Second from bottom in the Premier League hosting bottom of the table “The worst game in Premier League history” was the headline in one of the tabloid newspapers in the UK on the eve of the game Two Premier League clubs had never met this late in the season with so few combined points (29) and so many defeats (51) they were still selling half-and-half scarves on the stalls outside the stadium This was always going to be a day for gallows humour who was making his debut as a Premier League referee at 49 years old after Leicester’s Jordan Ayew accidentally poleaxed him The sight of Jamie Vardy bringing the game to a halt by reaching down to blow Webb’s whistle which was still attached to the referee’s wrist as he lay prone on the turf “We want our ref back,” sang both sets of supporters as Webb was helped down the tunnel by medical staff from both clubs followed by chants of ‘Who the f***ing hell are you?’ when his replacement — Sam Barrott the fourth official — emerged 12 minutes later At least Southampton and Leicester supporters haven’t lost their sense of humour It’s genuinely hard to do justice to just how miserable the campaign has been for both clubs which is all the more worrying when you consider how much Southampton (£100million) and Leicester (£80m) spent after winning promotion Marooned at the bottom of the table and essentially doing nothing more than making up the numbers since the start of the season Southampton became the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with seven matches remaining who had picked up only four points from their previous 19 matches before this 2-0 win Ipswich Town were relegated a week after that All three promoted clubs were out of their depth Most people would probably cut Ipswich some slack They were returning to the top flight for the first time since 2002 and had been playing in League One as recently as two years ago But Southampton and Leicester knew the Premier League landscape well they had spent 10 out of the previous 11 seasons in the Premier League they struggled at times during those years but there’s a difference between circling the plug-hole and disappearing in record time As for Leicester, Vardy probably put it best a few weeks ago when he described the season as a “s***show”. his goal on Saturday was the first that Leicester have scored at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League for 146 days when Russell Martin was still in charge of Southampton The aggregate scoreline across Leicester’s previous nine home league matches Southampton have had two new managers since Leicester’s barren run at home started the bar could not be set any lower when it comes to their motivation for the remainder of this season “All we want to do is try to beat Derby’s record just that extra point,” Sanders said outside the stadium before the game alluding to the record low 11 points that Derby County accumulated in the 2007-08 season “We’re going to go down as one of the worst teams ever but not to have that on our record is a big thing I always say about Robbie Savage’s image … he’s remembered for that Derby County team And Jack Stephens or Taylor Harwood-Bellis surely wouldn’t want to be associated with (something like) that,” Sanders said especially now that the Leicester fixture has gone without one Their final three games are against Manchester City and Arsenal at home with a trip to Everton sandwiched in between talking about the challenge he faced after being asked to take over from Ivan Juric with relegation confirmed is become solid and be either level or in front at half-time and create loads of chances I’d probably be able to bring world peace as well.” Rusk has got a job on his hands just trying to keep the Southampton fans happy right now “You don’t know what you’re doing!” chanted the travelling contingent after Rusk withdrew Mateus Fernandes and replaced him with Will Smallbone shortly before the hour Bathed in sunshine in a corner of the stadium the Southampton supporters pointedly sang Fernandes’ name for the remainder of the match “I was a little taken aback by the fan’s reaction,” Rusk said before explaining that Fernandes had recently been suffering from a chest infection and travelled back to Portugal for personal reasons By the time Fernandes departed against Leicester the home team were two goals to the good and six-year-old Kush Parmar was well on the way to getting his pre-match wish granted said when asked before kick-off why he’s still coming to matches at a time when some other Leicester fans have given up on the season “… We want to win against Southampton!” interrupted Kush with a big smile on his face Kush wasn’t born when Leicester won the Premier League in 2016 but there are permanent reminders of that fairytale at the King Power Stadium where a montage of the club’s greatest moments is played on the giant screens shortly before kick-off at every match The contrast between then and now is stark in every sense from the performances on the pitch to the supporters’ feelings about the way their club is being run “Sack the board” chanted the Leicester fans only three minutes after Vardy had given the home team the lead with a lovely first-time finish from a Bilal El Khannouss cross It was Vardy’s 199th goal in Leicester colours (he departed to a standing ovation later on) and the team’s first at home in the league in 826 minutes of football “We scored a goal!” sang the Leicester supporters “We’re going down with the Leicester,” responded the Southampton fans What happened next wasn’t in the script but felt strangely fitting Ayew unintentionally cleaned the official out and it soon became clear that Webb couldn’t continue “I felt sorry for the ref,” Ruud van Nistelrooy I haven’t seen a body-check like that on a referee before.” Webb had been waiting 29 years for the opportunity to referee a game at the highest level in England Vardy had probably been waiting that long to do what he did next — blow a referee’s whistle without the referee knowing anything about it not only in the penalty box but also in moments like that,” Van Nistelrooy added Ayew landed a blow of a different kind just before half-time when he drilled home Leicester’s second after his free-kick had come back off the Southampton wall That goal quelled any more protests from the home supporters Leicester had come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Southampton in October but there was never any prospect of a role reversal on Saturday Southampton succumbed to a humiliating 28th league defeat of the season looking like a man who has been given the job for seven years The good news is that Webb has made a full recovery How long it will take Leicester and Southampton to do the same is anyone’s guess A former professional footballer with Swindon Town, Stuart James went onto spend 15 years working for The Guardian, where he reported on far too many relegation battles to mention, one miraculous Premier League title triumph and a couple of World Cups. He joined The Athletic as a Senior Writer in 2019. Follow Stuart on Twitter @stujames75 Vardy’s opener was the 38-year-old’s 199th goal in a Leicester shirt and set his side on their way to a first win since January Jordan Ayew added a second before half-time to leave Southampton still needing one more point to avoid a share of the competition’s lowest-ever total – Derby’s 11 from 2007-08 “The performance provided the three points,” said Ruud Van Nistelrooy “The first goal was finished in style and it gave us that lead that we needed and the first goal at home in a long Taylor Harwood-Bellis had a decent chance to head Southampton into a sixth-minute lead, but his effort from Mateus Fernandes’s corner was comfortably saved by the Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk. there could not have been a more popular opening goalscorer as Leicester finally found the net at home in the league for the first time since Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s equaliser against Brighton on 8 December 2024 Luke Thomas put Bilal El Khannouss in behind down the left and his low ball into the box was smashed high into the net by Vardy who moved within one goal of his Leicester double-century said: “The first goal just seemed to knock the confidence out of the team Maybe that’s a result of the season as a whole in that it seemed to be a step too far psychologically perhaps We can try to affect confidence levels as much as we can but the reality is we’re working together as a group that’s won two games all season.” There was then a bizarre incident when the referee took an accidental blow to the head from Ayew and required treatment – after Vardy had blown his whistle to stop the match took charge for the remainder of the contest Jamie Vardy blows David Webb’s whistle after the referee took an accidental hit to the head from Jordan Ayew Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesLeicester were quickest to find their feet again after the 12-minute delay and doubled their lead after 44 minutes when Ayew hit a powerful drive into the bottom corner from outside the box after the Ghanaian had struck a free-kick into the wall The lively El Khannouss almost scored a third for the hosts in first-half stoppage time when his attempted cross looped on to the top of the bar Southampton’s performance could only improve after the break and they came close to pulling a goal back when Stolarczyk did well to keep out Paul Onuachu’s header from Kamaldeen Sulemana’s cross Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football It was only a brief flurry from the visitors Leicester almost adding to their lead when Wilfred Ndidi’s shot from El Khannouss’s corner was deflected wide Vardy almost reached his 200-goal milestone when his free-kick was beaten away by the Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale El Khannouss ignored the chance to play in Vardy as he rolled a shot wide after breaking into the Southampton half with seven minutes left as the hosts coasted to a rare victory Sorry, this blog is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer and Joe Hart heap praise on departing Leicester striker Jamie Vardy after his goal against Southampton WATCH MORE: It's been everything to me - Vardy on Leicester career Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer 00:01:20Vardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer 1:20 Up Next Watch: Fan catches ball while daughter covers his eyes 00:00:19Watch: Fan catches ball while daughter covers his eyes 0:19 'It's hard to watch' - Solskjaer discusses Man Utd woes 00:02:02'It's hard to watch' - Solskjaer discusses Man Utd woes 2:02 Moyes & Pickford share favourite Goodison Park memories 00:01:06Moyes & Pickford share favourite Goodison Park memories 1:06 Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix 00:01:51Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix 1:51 Nobody expected this - Amorim on first-leg win in Bilbao 00:01:34Nobody expected this - Amorim on first-leg win in Bilbao 1:34 Maresca praises 16-year-old Chelsea debutant Walsh 00:01:08Maresca praises 16-year-old Chelsea debutant Walsh 1:08 Beckham at 50: His first taste of Man Utd 00:01:28Beckham at 50: His first taste of Man Utd 1:28 'He's quite fussy!' - meet the craftsman who makes O'Sullivan's cues Video 00:02:09'He's quite fussy!' - meet the craftsman who makes O'Sullivan's cues 2:09 Yamal is a genius 0:52 Bompastor proud of WSL title winners Chelsea 00:01:10Bompastor proud of WSL title winners Chelsea 1:10 Arsenal need 'something special' to reach final - Arteta Video 00:01:14Arsenal need 'something special' to reach final - Arteta Ayew joined Leicester City after the season had started and missed out on pre-season with his new club The Foxes have endured one of their worst attacking seasons in recent memory going nine consecutive home games without scoring - a club record and one of the longest barren spells in Premier League history The team has consistently ranked near the bottom for chances created and Expected Goals (xG) making it a tough environment for any forward to shine Leicester this season have so far scored the second-lowest number of goals (29) in the Premier League and 30.5 xG are the worst by any side in the top flight Ayew has managed to score five league goals making him Leicester’s second-highest scorer this season He has achieved this feat in just 27 appearances demonstrating his impact despite not always starting His five goals have come from an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.5 indicating he is outperforming the quality of chances created for him Ayew's xG map in the Premier League this seasonOpta by StatsPerformAyew’s efficiency is further highlighted by his minutes-per-goal ratio With five goals in roughly 1,425 league minutes a strong return for a player in a struggling attack The 33-year-old’s value goes beyond just scoring often winning free kicks in dangerous areas and relieving pressure on Leicester’s struggling midfield He is also among the top four in progressive carries and shots showing his willingness to drive the attack even when service is limited His 79% pass completion rate and high defensive work rate (noted for tackles and interceptions) further demonstrate his all-round contribution A look at Ayew's stats in the Premier League this seasonOpta by StatsPerformFor comparison, last season at Crystal Palace, he scored just four goals in 32 appearances-despite playing in a more settled team. His current tally already surpasses that, despite joining Leicester late and playing fewer full matches. Ayew’s ability to deliver in an underperforming side is not new. Throughout his Premier League career, he has often played for teams fighting relegation, yet consistently ranks among their top scorers and hardest-working players. While five goals may not seem prolific on paper, the context of Ayew’s season at Leicester makes his tally a notable achievement. He has outperformed his expected goals, contributed in multiple phases of play, and provided a rare attacking spark for a team that has struggled to create or finish chances all season. Rather than criticism, Ayew’s efforts deserve recognition as a bright spot in a difficult campaign for Leicester City. Perhaps, the Ghanaian has proved he can be one of the few players the Leicester faithful can rely on in the Championship. AuthorFlashscoreBlack Star Watch is a compelling weekly column written by Owuraku Ampofo, a seasoned sports journalist with over five years of experience reporting on Ghanaian players. This column aims to uncover patterns, address pressing questions, and illuminate trending topics surrounding Ghanaian footballers. Crystal Palace are seven points adrift at the bottom of the WSL with one game left Relegated Crystal Palace twice fought from a goal down to claim a point against second-bottom Leicester City in a frantic finale Second-half substitute Abbie Larkin rescued a point for the Women's Super League's rock-bottom side with a 98th-minute equaliser Just minutes earlier Foxes substitute Shannon O'Brien's curling long-range strike looked to have claimed a first away win of the season for the visitors but as the game became stretched Larkin fired home to earn a share of the points It was a game short on quality before Foxes forward Hlin Eiriksdottir stepped up to provide a moment of inspiration on the stroke of half-time She worked her way to the byeline and cut a pass back to Hannah Cain who swept the ball home to put the visitors into a one goal lead into the break Leicester had controlled the home side's attacking threat well before Courtney Nevin's lunging tackle on Josie Green allowed Annabel Blanchard to equalise from the penalty spot Crystal Palace had registered almost twice as many shots as Leicester as well as enjoying the lion's share of possession but twice it seemed as though those efforts were to go unrewarded as they fell behind Nevertheless the Eagles battled back to avoid a 16th loss from 21 league games this season showing resilience that has often been lacking in a maiden top-flight campaign to forget Meanwhile Leicester's long winless run away from home continues as they become just the fourth side in WSL history - after Bristol City Liverpool and Reading - to complete a full 22-game WSL season without a victory on the road Palace will bow out of the WSL with a trip to Manchester City on Saturday This past week Crystal Palace boss Leif Smerud asked his side to learn how to "grow from adversity" as they prepare to return to the second tier next season The players did exactly that on Sunday as they battled from behind twice Having grown into the game they received a body blow in the shape of Cain's opener on the stroke of half-time However the Eagles refused to simply lie down and accept a 16th defeat of the season They came out for the second half with a point to prove enjoying the majority of possession and putting Leicester under extreme pressure This pressure told when they forced the Foxes into a mistake for the penalty O'Brien's long-range strike in the 94th minute would have been enough to deflate a team in the best of form having battled back from adversity once already the Eagles lifted themselves again to level with moments left to play While a point will not change Crystal Palace's fortunes it does offer hope that next season they can perhaps take the harsh lessons learned in the top flight and get moving in an upward trajectory once again After the opportunity to rate players has closed the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users Related topicsFootballMore on this storyGet the latest WSL news on our dedicated page To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Yellow Card at 82 minutesSubstituteshome team Yellow Card at 82 minutesSubstitutesNumber 4 Torres Match OfficialsReferee: Adewunmi SoneyeMatch StatsKey Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace Women) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal Lexi Potter (Crystal Palace Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half Foul by Shannon O'Brien (Leicester City Women) Shannon O'Brien (Leicester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner Fourth official has announced 10 minutes of added time Nelly Las (Leicester City Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the left Chantelle Swaby (Leicester City Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal Annabel Blanchard (Crystal Palace Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul Foul by Annabel Blanchard (Crystal Palace Women) Janice Cayman (Leicester City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half Shannon O'Brien (Leicester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked Delay in match because of an injury Shannon O'Brien (Leicester City Women) Molly-Mae Sharpe (Crystal Palace Women) header from the centre of the box is close Manchester United battle Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of Leicester City’s Jake Evans Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester are heading to the Championship after a dreadful season in England’s top flight the emergence of several young talents is being seen as a major positive and could help the Foxes return back to the Premier League quickly 20-year-old attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss has earned plenty of plaudits for his strong presence in and out of possession The likes of Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans have also caught the attention of fans and pundits alike after making their senior debuts in the second half of the campaign it is going to be very difficult for Leicester to keep hold of their exciting prospects as a number of Premier League clubs are preparing to take advantage of their situation According to Fichajes United are looking to sign the 16-year-old prodigy this summer It is claimed that the Red Devils have offered around €15 million (£12.78m) for the England U16 international Evans is capable of playing all across the front line but he mainly thrives as a striker or a right-winger He has scored an impressive 10 goals in 14 Premier League 2 appearances this term, leading to suggestions that he could become heir to Jamie Vardy’s throne at King Power Stadium It is understood that ex-United striker Van Nistelrooy has “complete confidence” in Evans’ abilities and believes the starlet with immense potential could spearhead Leicester’s attack in the future It is suggested that United face competition from Spurs for the youngster’s services The North Londoners are also prepared to make a significant offer to win the race for the Leicester wonderkid Meanwhile, United are also going head-to-head with Chelsea for Blackburn Rovers gem Igor Tyjon but the Mancunians have already seen their opening bid turned down by the Championship side Featured image Christopher Furlong via Getty Images Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years and editing content for several major outlets he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012 Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration so that's an achievement that won't be missed by us but we know we've got three more games to keep building on that." Is the Queensland boss the right man to lead Australia forward And will Joe Schmidt be tempted to stick around for Rugby World Cup 2027 Leicester Tigers have been sent back to the drawing board after being thwarted once again in their search to replace Michael Cheika when he steps down at the end of the season after Leon MacDonald turned down an approach Former All Black Macdonald, who is a consultant at the Western Force, couldn’t agree on a deal and will choose between Queensland Reds and Japanese outfit Yokohama Canon Eagles RugbyPass understands the Reds could offer him an assistant coach job until Les Kiss takes charge of the Wallabies next year and he then moves in on a three-year deal as head coach Deposed Premiership champions Northampton Saints are set to finalise a deal to bring Clermont Auvergne fly-half Anthony Belleau to Franklin’s Gardens on a one-year contract when his current deal expires this summer RugbyPass reported earlier this week that Saints had emerged as surprise front-runners to sign the former French international, who spent six years at Toulon before moving to ASM three years ago Saints boss Phil Dowson moved to snap up Belleau, 29, to provide cover for England stars Fin Smith and George Furbank after Jamie Benson signed a new deal to remain at Premiership rivals Harlequins Toulon and Samoa inside centre Duncan Paia’aua has held talks with relegation-threatened Top 14 side Perpignan over a potential move when his current contract ends this season RugbyPass reported in December that former Australia A international Paia’aua, 29, had also met with Harlequins about a move to the Premiership this summer who was born in Porirua on New Zealand’s North Island before his family relocated to Melbourne when he was three made the last of his four appearances for Toulon in October Dave Walder took his first training session with Exeter Chiefs on Thursday morning after days of disruption at Sandy Park brought his arrival forward by three months Walder had been due to become the new attack and backs coach under Rob Hunter but will now work alongside Rob Baxter who is overseeing team affairs until the end of the season following Hunter’s departure Baxter issued an emergency call to Walder to step in for Ali Hepher who was demoted from head coach in March to a backs role before being placed on gardening leave after Sunday’s defeat to Gloucester Former Wales and Lions prop Wyn Jones is tipped to return to Wales when his contract with Harlequins ends this summer joined the London club last July after 13 seasons with the Scarlets He has made 20 appearances for Quins — 13 from the bench — but is expected to move on when his deal expires in July Reports in Wales suggest Jones is heading to the Dragons, who have lost 15 of their 16 United Rugby Championship games this season and are looking for experienced reinforcements Former Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe, who is leaving Gloucester after a single season has entered talks with Top 14 side Bayonne New Zealand-born Anscombe, 33, had also been linked with Provence Rugby and Leicester Tigers, but Bayonne now appear favourites to land him as they prepare for Camille Lopez’s retirement at the end of the season According toActu Rugby in France, Bayonne have also been in contact with Castres’ Luka Matkava and Argentine international Philippe Tayeb Sale Sharks owner Simon Orange and his wife Michelle are branching into football after being confirmed as lead investors in a £1.45m fundraising round for non-league club Altrincham Brian Kennedy — a former Sharks and Stockport County owner — previously moved Sale from Heywood Road to Edgeley Park The Oranges’ involvement follows last month’s news that Sale are exploring new stadium sites Exeter Chiefs are expected to send more of their top prospects down the Devon Expressway to National League One side Plymouth Albion next season Sources in Plymouth suggest Chiefs were pleased with Albion’s work with Paul Brown-Bampoe and plan to expand the partnership One of the players who could join Albion is Kane James With just a 46-mile journey between Sandy Park and Brickfields the link allows dual training and swift game access Former Fiji Sevens coach Gareth Baber is reportedly set to lead Nice’s push for a return to the Top 14 The 52-year-old Welshman previously played for Bristol and the Dragons before coaching Cardiff Blues and later Fiji Sevens. He will be supported by backs coach Barry Maddocks — formerly of Biarritz and Agen — and forwards coach Emiliano Bergamaschi Nice are hoping to win Nationale promotion for the second time in three years Former Bristol Bears openside Dan Thomas will remain at Cardiff next season after a successful first campaign in the Welsh capital Thomas, 31, made over 120 appearances for Bristol before moving and has played 21 times for Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup this season He is currently seventh in the URC turnover rankings History will be made in Cape Town at the end of June when the Barbarians men's team take to the field for the first time on South African soil for a fixture against world champions South Africa Watch USA Eagles Women v Canada Women live and for FREE on the RugbyPass app The fiasco that is Tigers search for a new coach is getting beyond parody now How on earth the club has allowed itself to be manouvered into the position it now finds itself in is a damning indictment of the people running the club why aren’t Leicester trying to hire Rowntree? Join free and tell us what you really think Is the Queensland boss the right man to lead Australia forward Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants Warren Gatland forged a sense of togetherness in his 2013 Lions but faced personal 'vitriol' after leaving out a legend It was called ‘The Curse of the Great Bambino’ no doubt it was helped by the ridiculousness of giving away Babe fn Ruth “not for things good and right” would be the answer no doubt This will be a very similar question Leinster have to ask themselves It would be enough to kill the belief of a lesser club at a venue like Dublin I hope we have segued here to the Premiership lol They ran for 147 metres more than the hosts on 41 fewer carries That’s how New Zealand teams used to be able to play scoring tries from anywhere in their own half with very little ball often even less than the 40% Saints had this game None of which will bother Dowson and his charges Don’t they now have three must win games in the Premiership How are they going to balance those are a Champions Cup Final I’m not sure I agree with the referee bottling it and putting away his whistle at the end In Super rugby theyve been starting to play their hands a lot more and using the TMO It’s increased the accuracy of the contest but also brought back in the howlers like going back 10 phases to a knock on that wasn’t even a knock on I just don’t understand why they can’t get it right but that’s pretty much the same perspective placed on Cullen right Duck by name and duck by nature You really love ducking a question don’t you? When all the players competing for the back three positions are fit….who starts? Freeman on one wing and either Ramm or Hendy on the other with Seabrook or Sleightholme competing as well Therefore they had two of the three starting i know you are twisting the topic of conversation rather than acknowledge you were exaggerating on the original topic I agree England are the 2nd best team up North now…still a young team with a lot of growth yet The fact that Aussie have the belief after their victory at Twickenham bodes well be interesting to see the make up of the team by Farrell Alun Wyn Jones showed in the 3rd test what captaincy is all about The Wallabies were smashed up front and it didn’t matter who played at centre A most excellent comment. BOTNET CRYPTO RECOVERY is a global leader in cross-border crypto asset recovery With a vast network of partners—including major exchanges and cybersecurity firms across North America and Asia—they can quickly freeze stolen assets across multiple jurisdictions preventing fraudsters from moving funds internationally Their team has deep expertise in the legal and regulatory complexities of cryptocurrency recovery enabling swift action even in offshore and multi-country cases working closely with law enforcement and financial institutions to maximize recovery chances Whether dealing with fake investment schemes BOTNET CRYPTO RECOVERY provides effective solutions to reclaim lost assets When will the coaching staff realise that they need to do something different at this point Yes thats what I see from all the way over hear they’ve believed they haven’t had the players but even that is possible more adding to rather than changing He’s obviously changing things on the field though which is why we all pretty much didn’t expect results from them this year and definitely with the sort of encouraging results that make you believe you’re on the right track Would be a superb outfit if they put that all together with trying to find a better way to manage the unique challenge of having a national representee team as your make up I can only imagine what problems the old Auckland Blues team would have encountered but they might want to look at the Crusaders example While not the same scope the Crusaders star players were key All Blacks who often just meandered through the season and that affected results but were always able to turn it on at the back end when it counted Don't mean SA getting kicked out of Europe altogether I mean SA withdrawing from Europe to get out of a 12 month season when playing in URC seems to be having an impact in the Springboks its entirely possible SA would re-enter a restructured SR or create its own entirely domestic comp then seek international club play on a Champions Cup type basis with its domestic teams having 20 plus scheduled games a season it'll achieve all its financial/popularity/competitiveness goals without having to go for a 12 month season Not good if he can’t play well off the bench lol I have him down as my super sub We’re all just waiting for you to comment on something other than everything Canterbury You are boredom maximus and just can’t see it Hilarious richer countries have been announcing the death of NZ rugby since rugby first became an international sport and NZ started beating the crap out of the Northern hemisphere teams There is so much resentment and hatred and frustration that NZ rugby It'll be there for the next twenty years Biggest issue was the selection they got it totally wrong and the most likely reason for it was over confidence The same arrogance that saw them off the boil emotionally and lacking in the intensity required to combat Northampton’s ferocious start All of which led them to a point where they were unable to execute at the death and capitalise on the clear advantages held at that stage Leinster got exactly what they deserved from that match and it was very amusing to watch Kearney squirming post match I'll repeat what I said Hopefully you'll get the point this time Despite your claim I never mentioned financials I focused purely on the political consequences for SA rugby structures of the Springboks decline in RWC's My focus in relation to that was entirely on the issue of competitiveness has a much better structured domestic season now than it had in SR Domestic teams playing in a round robin comp they are in every year is a domestic comp for competitive/development purposes SA's URC teams have to run significantly bigger squads again a function of having a proper full season for those teams That is something NZ will eventually emulate the URC's popularity/financials are greater in SA because its a full season and its teams are winning [again something I recognised] in the distinctly lower quality URC whereas it spent almost all its time in SR losing in much higher quality but shorter comp The story is radically different in the much higher quality European comps where the SA are getting crushed year after year what will be the political consequences in SA of the Springboks decline in RWC/WR standings Will the financial/popularity advantages of getting a proper domestic season be seen to be damaging the Springboks given the distinctly lower quality of the URC in comparison with SRP My bet is such a blame game is almost certain To give themselves a substantial domestic comp and keep the Springboks in TRC [They have no choice] SA are being forced to play 12 months a year have developed a habit of improvising solutions instead of building durable structures A 12 month season is just another improvisation And as for the fairy story that being in Europe is better prep for RWC/Test rugby than SR SA teams only play Ireland/Wales/Scotland/Italy in the URC And SA teams don't play in Europe long enough to benefit from playing against club teams from England and France And if you think that playing in Ireland/Wales/Scotland on a wet winters day is less challenging than playing in NZ then you're welcome to your short memory I had overlooked George Ford Yep he should have started in between Sam P and Garry R It wasn’t JB’s fault he wasn’t picked😁 Yes they do make a point of exploiting that ‘trough’ after the 6N by picking B teams for most matches I doubt the end of the 6N did much for the confidence of the players either So they might try taking their chances with more first teamers playing consistently in that period they have no problem with warm weather and usually win the EPCR semi Not Jordie’s problem JW he should have been on the paddock from the start When you’re the best you have to prove it Leinster have been the best for at least two of the recent finals they’ve lost but haven’t driven the nail in I’m not sure the leadership is top drawer at these crucial moments Selection suggested that they felt they might get an easier ride vs Saints than they did I do not know why they didn’t start with Jordie Miz - the midfield shoudl have been Prendergast-Jordie-Garry R, all day long. You want your best players on the field for as long as possible. Totally agree re Sam Prendergast. The 10’s have to be Russell, Fin Smith and one of Ford or Marcus, maybe both if they want to use Marcus at 15. Not to mention the midfielder believing he's partly to blame for the team's rapid Premier League downfall What did the Nigeria international say exactly One Leicester City star has made an admirable albeit too late revelation about his playing style £5 million Foxes signing from Chelsea is apparently set for his LCFC debut We explain what Michael Golding is all about and whether or not he'll likely feature for the East Midlanders at King Power Stadium versus fellow relegated side Southampton Golding arrived with a solid reputation from the Blues Obviously some people will immediately think 'CFC wouldn't have allowed any top prospect to leave they'd only sell their unwanted starlets' to be fair to the slightly uniformed commentary over the years so-called big six clubs have let plenty of quality ballers exit even preeminent players have departed Stamford Bridge: Kevin De Bruyne and Mo Salah are two prime examples Therefore I'll reserve judgement on Golding until I've watched him play a few times. That sentiment applies to any other footballer, for that matter. Below is a quote about expectancy for the 18-year-old Ndidi recently made what has been described as an 'honest admission' He thinks he got "carried away" on occasion during the current failed campaign The 28-year-old is referring to his occasionally dismissed defensive responsibilities He said that he could have protected a floundering defence more appropriately To be honest, Ndidi was deployed in a higher and less defensive-minded role. Yet, if he says so, maybe he could have made a more strenuous effort to defend © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"5s","src":"5t","url":"5u"},{"type":"5r","value":"5v"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"5y","url":"5z"},{"type":"5x","value":"60"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands He enjoys writing about and covering multiple sports across all aspects He can usually be found catching a current game or rewatching one from the past His prior work has been featured on Yardbarker and MSN he's listening to a podcast or enjoying some good tunes ",{"type":"48","value":"9u"},{"type":"48","value":"8s"},{"x":"93","y":"93"},"Gabriel S a self-acknowleded football fanatic with a love of Leicester City Therefore I'll reserve judgement on Golding until I've watched him play a few times. That sentiment applies to any other footballer, for that matter. Below is a quote about expectancy for the 18-year-old The 28-year-old is referring to his occasionally dismissed defensive responsibilities To be honest, Ndidi was deployed in a higher and less defensive-minded role. Yet, if he says so, maybe he could have made a more strenuous effort to defend Twelve months ago it was champagne and celebrations for Ipswich Town all three promoted teams were relegated for the second consecutive season For Ipswich it was a step too far after back-to-back promotions it has been a season of chaos and disaster exposing the reality that the best Championship clubs are unable to bridge the widening gap to the Premier League Leicester and Southampton will be favourites to go straight back up again All three will get two years of parachute payments which under the new Premier League TV deal will see all three clubs pocket over £90million ($119.9m) they don’t get a third-year parachute (about £17m in 2027-28) so there is incentive to bounce back quickly Ipswich may not have the recent Premier League history of their relegated rivals who slipped from challenging in the top division’s top eight consistently but they could be in the best shape to mount an instant return After back-to-back promotions they rode into the top flight on a crest of a wave and although they needed to bridge the greatest gulf of all three promoted sides Last summer they had an £88.9m spend as they attempted to turn a squad largely assembled in League One into one capable of competing in the Premier League They are expected to still owe £14.9million in transfers for next season and beyond They were able to keep hold of manager Kieran McKenna who was discussed as a candidate for the vacant job at Chelsea last summer before they turned to Leicester’s Enzo Maresca but the momentum wasn’t enough to sustain them in the Premier League with three on the road at Tottenham Hotspur They drew nine matches and were defeated 21 times They were relegated with four games still to go after defeat at Newcastle United, but as The Athletic’s Michael Walker observed the week before their fate was sealed the mood around Portman Road was in stark contrast to the other two relegated sides apathy and anger at Leicester and Southampton at the failings of their clubs the expectations at Ipswich were very different this season That may change next season back in the Championship when they are expected to challenge for promotion again unlike two years ago when they were newly promoted most notably striker Liam Delap who has impressed after his £20m move from Manchester City Ipswich have only scored 33 league goals this season While McKenna has stated it isn’t a foregone conclusion that Delap will leave a reported relegation clause of £30m will do little to deter suitors There were mixed fortunes for the other new recruits but if they find fitness and form next season Ipswich could still be in good shape especially as Szmodics was the Championship’s top scorer in 2023-24 in a struggling Blackburn Rovers side The club is debt free and the ownership is popular after their success who also remains popular with the fans after relegation “The club is in a really strong position,” he said after relegation was confirmed “There’s still a fantastic togetherness there It’s a step back now but that’s often the way in terms of taking steps forward.” Luton Town found it tougher to cope with a drop back into the Championship after a meteoric rise Leicester fans were warned by the chief executive that the ramifications would be felt for several years to come angered by the club’s unexpected and rapid decline have been seeking answers and accountability ever since and that discontent has only grown during what statistically is looking like the worst season in the club’s history in terms of their points tally They have lost 10 of their last 12 league games and hadn’t scored in their last nine home league games — a sequence that smashed the top-flight record — before a 2-0 win against Southampton on Saturday who has announced he is leaving the club after 13 incredible seasons this season has been an embarrassment and “a s***-show” The anger and the scrutiny on the senior management at the club is only intensifying from the supporters Leicester have been successful so far in defeating attempts to charge them for possible breaches of profit and sustainability rules since 2022-23 but they could face extra scrutiny when back in the Championship The EFL tried to impose a business plan on the club last season which would have restricted their budget and transfer spending — and force player sales — but weren’t successful at the time They also encouraged the Premier League to bring charges but when they eventually did for an alleged breach Leicester were able to legally argue they were neither a Premier League nor EFL club at the point of a breach when their accounts were registered That issue is still the subject of a confidential arbitration process Last week the EFL announced they had made changes to their PSR regulations to effectively close any loopholes in jurisdiction Leicester had the largest budget by nearly £30m (Leicester £107.2m Southampton £80.7m and Ipswich £44.5m) over their rivals last season when they won the title and promotion but it is expected they will have to cut their cloth differently this time after chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha converted the last of £420m worth of loans into equity but they have considerable debt to Australian bank Macquarie secured against transfer fees and television money up to June 2028 but a further facility has since been operated secured against remaining Premier League prize money for the current season and next season’s parachute payment is leaving and it is expected that other higher earners such as Harry Winks Boubakary Soumare and Patson Daka will have to move on while assets Mads Hermansen and Bilal El Khannouss will be sold The issue of who will have to oversee this work is still to be decided Having sacked Steve Cooper after just 12 games last season Ruud van Nistelrooy became the fifth manager at the club in three seasons Despite a disastrous subsequent campaign he remains in place but has repeatedly called for clarity over his position so the club can begin planning for next season Leicester have a big decision to make over whether Van Nistelrooy is the man for the huge job ahead but his continued presence may not appease disgruntled fans who want a completely fresh start next season although the desire for change in the club’s senior management has been the main focus of protest financial restrictions and a huge squad refresh required Leicester face a huge summer to be ready for a new Championship challenge Southampton have even more work to do this summer starting with who will be the manager next season Having sacked promotion-winning manager Russell Martin in December Saints are still fighting to avoid equalling Derby County’s Premier League record for the lowest points total across a season: 11 in 2008 Southampton are currently on that number with three games still to go their poor recruitment has been at the heart of their troubles but they are currently without a head of recruitment after the departure of Darren Mowbray in April The man who now has to find a new head coach and head of recruitment is sporting director Johannes Spors He needs to work fast to get ahead of their rivals Two years ago they had appointed Martin early and seemed in a better position There seems to be a huge amount of work to reduce a bloated squad and correct many of the transfer errors of the last few seasons but there are very few assets to sell now after cashing in Tino Livramento Nathan Tella and James Ward-Prowse in recent seasons and total receipts on the sales of players was £123m compared with just £7.4m in the 2022-23 season They reinvested £46.8m net in transfers this season prior to January Southampton go into the summer without PSR issues hanging over them although they have an £80m high-interest facility — and a £15.6m cash interest payment in 2023-24 They posted profits of £5.7m for the 2023-24 season and despite the desperate season they have endured — they have won just one and drawn two of 17 home games so far — their home gates are holding steady at just under 31,000 on average per game That doesn’t mean the fans aren’t unhappy with their club’s fortunes in recent seasons Sport Republic plus chairman and majority shareholder Dragan Solak have certainly made mistakes They can’t afford to make any more if they are to regroup and mount a promotion push next season but they need to make good early decisions that can shape the direction of travel at St Mary’s (Top photo: Ipswich Town by Alex Livesey via Getty Images) playVardy snaps Leicester's goalless streak vs Southampton (2:06)Mark Ogden reacts to Leicester City's 2-0 win vs Southampton in a clash at bottom of the Premier League table LEICESTER, England -- The security guard tasked with pat-down duties at the entrance to the King Power Stadium ahead of Leicester City's Premier League game against Southampton had a wry grin on his face It's a line he will have grown accustomed to saying this season. Leicester, shock champions in 2016, had already seen their relegation back to the EFL Championship confirmed and they faced Southampton having failed to score in any of their last nine home league games -- a run stretching back to a 2-2 draw against Brighton on Dec They say that there is always somebody in a worse situation than your own and also sent back to the second tier after one season and a team that arrived at Leicester still needing a point to escape the ignominy of matching Derby County's record low points tally of 11 For a fixture that had earned the billing of being the worst Premier League game in history some fans had even taken to social media to label it as "El Crapico" -- a team that can't score against a side that can't seemingly do anything 'El Crapico' tickets have arrived 🎉 pic.twitter.com/9BqnAYi7Xx Vardy will leave Leicester when his contract expires next month. The former England striker described this season as a "s---show" when he announced his impending departure recently but he can at least end on a personal high by taking his tally to 200 goals it won't make him any less of a club legend the guy who won the title here," manager Ruud van Nistelrooy said "But of course he wants that round figure because I think it looks nice." the stadium big screen had reminded supporters to wave their flags when Leicester scored Their supporters clearly have little faith that the team now under their third manager of the season in Simon Rusk "You're not fit to wear the shirt!" they chanted as Southampton handed Leicester an easy 2-0 win but there was always some gallows humor as they attempted to mock the home fans' celebrations we lose every week!" the Saints fans sang as they contemplated returning to the same stadium next season for a Championship fixture It was Southampton's 28th defeat in 35 league games and it felt like watching football in the Twilight Zone Jamie Vardy celebrates after scoring what could prove to be his last-ever goal at the King Power. Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty ImagesDerby's record low haunts SouthamptonDerby's 11-point mark has been hanging over Southampton for months. They have only collected five points in 2025 and haven't won since a 2-1 win at Ipswich Town They came tantalizingly close to reaching 12 points at home to Fulham last week, but after taking a first-half lead, Southampton conceded a 72nd minute equaliser before losing to a Ryan Sessegnon goal deep into stoppage time The trip to Leicester was Southampton's red-letter day and best chance of securing that solitary point to avoid matching Derby's unenviable record "We had to get the point at Leicester," Southampton fan Steve Grant "It was 'Leicester or Bust' because our final three games are against City but the Everton game is their last-ever match at Goodison Park so it's hard to see us getting a point there Although it would be a funny if we somehow do it at Everton and they leave the Goodison pitch for the final time to a chorus of boos "The reality now is that the Premier League has a stable 17 and three promoted clubs The gulf between the league and the Championship is massive and it's no surprise the three promoted clubs have gone down for the second successive season "Even if we end up with 11 points and match Derby's record whoever comes up from the Championship via the playoffs this season will be contenders to get fewer than 11 points next year." That will certainly be welcomed in Derby and by those associated with the team's humiliation in 2007-08 who made his name as a manager by guiding unfancied Bradford City and Wigan Athletic to promotion to the Premier League took charge of Derby in November 2007 with the team already anchored to the foot of the table and he admits he should never have taken the job "I remember driving to Derby and I took a call from David Moyes on the way down," Jewell told ESPN "David asked what I was doing and I told him I was about to join Derby He asked where I was and when I told him I was on the motorway he said to turn around and go home because Everton had beaten them in October and he had told his staff that Derby wouldn't win another game all season was jeered by the away supporters. Gareth Copley/Getty Images"We lost a few early games by the odd goal and then drew 2-2 at Newcastle after conceding an 88th-minute equaliser I could never tell the players that a win today would help us close a gap because the gap was already massive That's exactly what it will be like for Leicester and Southampton "But do I want Southampton to end up on 11 points like Derby Because somebody else will be able to take this phone call next season rather than me!" and they have been marooned in the relegation zone all season Leicester, having lost promotion-winning manager Enzo Maresca to Chelsea, spent £78 million on reinforcements and hired Steve Cooper, the former Nottingham Forest manager But Cooper was fired in November after just 15 games in charge -- the Foxes were outside the relegation zone at this stage -- and replaced by Van Nistelrooy who has managed just four wins in 24 matches fired Russell Martin in December and replaced him with Ivan Juric who lasted just 16 games -- losing 13 and winning just two -- before he was dismissed in April Southampton's Premier League malaise is deep-rooted have been achieved by five different managers: Juric It will be a surprise if Rusk adds his name to that list this season "Our problem is that we stuck in a rut of being too good for the Championship but too weak for the Premier League," Saints fan Grant said "It has been fairly tedious watching us this season and I have not bothered with the games at the big clubs because you know how they will end up but I'm still a fan who wants those big moments so of course I will want us to be promoted back to the Premier League next season." Leicester and Southampton were both already doomed to relegation long time and we were ready to break that cycle today," Van Nistelrooy said I can't remember the last time we did that Just look at the stat -- eight games without scoring but I'm pleased for the players that the run is broken "I need to find way to motivate the team because we know we are not staying up The objective now is to be in best place possible for next season." Van Nistelrooy declined to address his own future and whether he will still be in charge next season but it is unlikely that he will survive after such a woeful run of results "I'm in a difficult situation," Rusk told reporters We were relegated with seven games to go and it's not easy "We need the people who travel to support us but we're not good enough and we're finding it hard But it can feel very lonely on the pitch and sometimes your legs can't do what you want them to do and maybe that's what happened today." So while Leicester and their supporters can celebrate a win and an end to their home goal drought Southampton still need that one point to avoid ignominy -- and their next opponents are Manchester City "The points thing is the points thing," Rusk said "Our draw at West Ham moved the first barrier [of getting fewer than 11 points] but we haven't got something out of this game We wanted something here to get past the points record Bradford pipped Walsall to the final League Two promotion place in dramatic style while Doncaster won the title 2d ago18.24 CESTAnd here’s a report on Leicester’s 2-0 win over hapless Southampton, who have now won two of the last 33 available points: Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and Jordan Ayew scored their team’s first goals at the King Power Stadium in five months to secure a 2-0 Premier League victory over fellow relegated side Southampton on Saturday. Vardy, who will leave Leicester at the end of the season after 13 years with the club, put the Foxes ahead in the 17th minute when he latched on to Bilal El Khannouss’s cross and fired high into the net for his 199th goal in a Leicester shirt. Ayew doubled the lead in the 44th when he struck a free-kick into the wall only for the ball to land back at his feet for him to hammer home past the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The penultimate game at Goodison Park proved an occasion for relegated Ipswich to savour far more than their obliging hosts. Everton were two goals up and cruising towards a second win in 10 games when Julio Enciso changed the complexion of the contest with a stunning finish. Substitute George Hirst completed the fightback by Kieran McKenna’s spirited side with a late header. This was a big opportunity squandered by David Moyes’ team. Everton’s energy and composure declined markedly after taking a two goal lead and Ipswich’s punishment, and point, was merited. 2d ago18.13 CESTScott Murray meanwhile is girding his loins ahead of Arsenal v Bournemouth: 2d ago18.09 CESTEvery game is now over except for the one at Bradford, which is about to briefly restart before the home side’s dramatic promotion is confirmed. Here are the final (except that one) scores: 2d ago18.05 CESTFinal scores: Leicester 2-0 Southampton, Everton 2-2 IpswichThe Foxes have banked three points in the Crapico, Everton’s penultimate game at Goodison saw them give away a two-goal lead, but the real excitement this afternoon is elsewhere… 2d ago18.04 CESTThe Bradford game has been paused, and the players taken down the tunnel, because fans are on the pitch engaged in a little premature celebration. They’ll eventually come back out to play the last moments of stoppage time. 2d ago18.02 CESTDoncaster Rovers win the League Two title!They needed a win and they have got one, thanks to Robert Street’s first-half double at Notts County! County scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to make the final moments a little nervy, but it’s finished 2-1 there, and that’ll do! 2d ago18.01 CESTFinal score: Accrington Stanley 0-1 ChesterfieldChesterfield are in the League Two playoffs thanks to their win at Accrington, while Salford were held to a 2-2 draw by Carlisle! 2d ago18.00 CESTGOAL! Bradford have just stolen promotion at the death!Antoni Sarcevic’s deflected shot dribbles past a wrong-footed Fleetwood Town keeper to put them 1-0 up in the sixth minute of stoppage time, and it looks like they’re going to pip Walsall to the last automatic promotion place from League Two! 2d ago17.55 CESTBirmingham City end the season with 111 points!Birmingham have beaten Cambridge United 2-1, and they end the season with a ludicrous, astonishing, remarkable, record points total of 111! 2d ago17.49 CESTIn Harry Kane news, Bayern could potentially win the league as soon as tomorrow, if Leverkusen fail to win at fourth-placed Freiburg, who have won their last three. 2d ago17.47 CESTThanks to Leyton Orient’s result it hasn’t made a difference, but on the day their sale was confirmed, and with a playoff place on the line (potentially), Reading have fallen apart: Davis Keillor-Dunn has just put Barnsley 4-1 up! 2d ago17.46 CESTDavid HytnerHere’s some team news from the Emirates Stadium: Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Trossard, Martinelli. Subs: Setford, Tierney, Zinchenko, Merino, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri, Clarke.Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Cook, Adams, Tavernier, Kluivert, Ouattara, Evanilson. Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Brooks, Scott, Smith, Soler, Jebbison, Hill, Semenyo.Referee: Jarred Gillett. 2d ago17.44 CESTGOAL 79 mins)Ipswich have recovered from two goals down George Hirst heading in to bring them level at Goodison 2d ago17.39 CESTTo be honest I thought Bayern might celebrate a bit more but it’s basically safe and they could at least smile a bit and instead he had to trudge on and soberly shake people’s hands They play Monchengladbach at home next Saturday and will surely make it safe then and though Bayern Munich have basically won the league (Bayer Leverkusen have three games to play and are nine points behind with their goal difference inferior by 30) 2d ago17.20 CESTThe big question now is: can either Bradford (at home to Fleetwood Town) or Walsall (at Crewe) win a game of football? Both are currently drawing 0-0 – if any one of them can win, they will go up. If both win, or indeed both draw or both lose, Bradford will come third. 2d ago17.18 CESTAaron Rowe has given Gillingham a 1-0 lead at Port Vale, and Doncaster look set to coast to the League Two title from here. 2d ago17.18 CESTGOAL! Grimsby 0-1 AFC Wimbledon (Hutchinson, 52 mins)A big goal in the League Two playoff chase. As it stands Wimbledon are fifth having vaulted Notts County, and Grimbsy drop down to ninth. Chesterfield, one up at Accrington, are in the last playoff spot at I type. 2d ago17.15 CESTLeroy Sane has scored at the Red Bull Arena where it’s now RB Leipzig 2-3 Bayern Munich and the visitors are just two minutes and stoppage time away from the league title 2d ago17.11 CESTGOAL! Huddersfield 1-3 Leyton OrientAnd that surely is going to wrap up a playoff place! A long ball out of defence leaves Huddersfield’s defence exposed, it’s squared to Agyei and he takes a touch to bring it onto his left foot before curling inside the far post! 2d ago17.00 CESTBad and good news for Harry Kane: Bayern Munich have scored two in a minute and they’re now drawing 2-2 at RB Leipzig and on course to basically win the league in about 20 minutes (it was a 2.30pm BST kick-off) Reading, who need to better Leyton Orient’s result to steal the last League One playoff spot from them, are drawing while Orient are 2-1 up at Huddersfield. Doncaster are winning the League Two title by three points from Port Vale. Bradford are pipping Walsall to the third and final automatic promotion spot, though continuing their recent poor form neither are winning. AFC Wimbledon and Chesterfield are in the playoff places; Grimsby, Salford and Colchester just outside them. Half-time scores in the Scottish Premiership: 2d ago16.51 CESTHalf-time scoresHalf-timely whistles have been peeping across the nation, and here are the scores as they stand (a few matches haven’t quite finished, and there’s still seven minutes to play at Leicester). When Vardy broke Van Nistelrooy's Premier League record 1411 CommentsLeicester City captain Jamie Vardy will leave the club at the end of the season but intends to continue his playing career the Foxes described Vardy as "our greatest ever player" who joined in 2012 from non-league side Fleetwood Town is the club's record Premier League scorer with 143 and in all competitions has scored 198 goals in 498 appearances Vardy scored 24 times in the 2015-16 Premier League campaign helping Leicester to the first ever top-flight title in their history The former England international was also part of their 2021 FA Cup-winning side when the Foxes beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley but I knew it was going to come eventually," Vardy said in a video posted by Leicester on social media "I've spent 13 unbelievable years at this club "It's finally time to call it a day always have a massive place in my heart." He added: "This isn't retirement I want to keep on playing and doing what I enjoy most - scoring goals "I may be 38 but I still have the desire and ambition to achieve so much more." Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said Vardy had stuck with the club "through thick and thin" adding: "He has achieved everything and now can go and enjoy these last years with his family he is one of the most open and honest people I have met "He will tell you how he feels and what he is thinking Vardy described the club's season as "miserable" and a "total embarrassment" after the Foxes were relegated earlier this month having collected 18 points from their 33 matches 'A very unique character' - Vardy will 'never be forgotten' by Foxes 'Gutted this day has come' - reaction as Vardy to leave Leicester at end of the season Van Nistelrooy unsure if he will keep Leicester job After helping the club back into the top flight during his second season in the Midlands Vardy was then an instrumental figure in the side's 'great escape' in the 2014-15 campaign Bottom of the table at Christmas and with just four wins by the start of April the Foxes seemed destined to return to the Championship But 22 points from their final nine matches helped Nigel Pearson's side complete the most unlikely of revivals Leicester, 5,000-1 outsiders at the start of the season, went on to win their first ever top-flight title as they were crowned Premier League champions in 2015-16 under the management of Claudio Ranieri Vardy was named the Premier League Player of the Season after scoring 24 times in 36 appearances including a record-breaking run that saw him find the net in 11 consecutive league matches - a mark that still stands today Vardy would go on to score in the side's subsequent Champions League campaign and he was the winner of the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019-20 with 23 goals The forward became the first player in FA Cup history to appear in 13 of the 14 rounds of the competition when he played in the 2021 FA Cup final as the Foxes, managed by Brendan Rodgers, lifted the trophy for the first time in their history. Jamie Vardy is Leicester's all-time leading scorer in the Premier League Vardy remained with the Foxes after their relegation from the Premier League in 2023 He hit 18 goals in 35 matches in the Championship after being named club captain by Enzo Maresca helping them to win the title 10 years after Vardy's first promotion with Leicester Vardy has featured in 31 of the east Midlands club's 33 Premier League matches this term His final game at the King Power Stadium will be on 18 May View comments | 1411Top storiesZhao claims historic victory over Williams in Crucible final 303 CommentsRuud van Nistelrooy says he is still waiting to find out if he will keep his job as Leicester City manager following the club's relegation from the Premier League The Foxes, whose 1-0 defeat by Liverpool at the King Power Stadium last weekend confirmed they would be returning to the Championship have earned just eight points from 20 matches under the Dutchman said he has sat down with the owners and the board and told them "how we move forward as a club" "I know what my plan is to bring the club back but I am waiting on alignment," he added "The quicker the better for the football club." Leicester face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday at 15:00 BST Van Nistelrooy signed a three-year deal with Leicester in November following the sacking of Steve Cooper after just 157 days in charge the former Manchester United striker's appointment failed to rally the club and their second relegation in three seasons was on the cards for months was the Foxes' ninth consecutive Premier League home game without scoring a goal - a new top-flight record A light aircraft was flown over the stadium before kick-off on Sunday trailing a banner reading "King Power Clueless Sack The Board" Vardy to leave Leicester at end of the season Latest Leicester news View comments | 303Top stories Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Alpine poised to replace Doohan with Colapinto Liverpool 1 at Full timeLeicesterLeicester CityLeicester City01LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpoolFull timeFTHalf Time Leicester City 0 Liverpool 0 HT 0-0Key EventsLeicester CityLiverpoolT Alexander-Arnold (76')Goal 76 minutesVenue:King Power StadiumAttendance:30,402Anger at Amorim & Foxes Fall Liverpool now need three points to win title via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only Liverpool are closer than ever to a 20th championship crown Will they be crowned champions on Wednesday Leicester City will be playing in the Championship next season 1259Shareclose panelShare pageCopy link About sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:57 British Summer Time 20 April19:57 BST 20 April#bbcfootball WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only If Liverpool win remaining games we'll have 94 points 61337Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:54 British Summer Time 20 April19:54 BST 20 April#bbcfootball It might be his last goal for Liverpool - who knows But the fire in his eyes in the celebration makes me think maybe he could stay 58659Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHow the table lookspublished at 19:53 British Summer Time 20 April19:53 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool This is how the table looks after this weekend's games Southampton and Leicester City are relegated 20621Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Questions must be asked of decisions made at top'published at 19:50 British Summer Time 20 April19:50 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Jamie CarragherFormer Liverpool defender on Sky Sports You can talk about what's happened here this season and the clubs that were promoted They are an established Premier League club They then go from eighth in the league to getting relegated This is not just about a certain Ruud van Nistelrooy or the players who are here now This goes back to decisions that were made over the years The decisions that are made at the top level filter down to the ground and that is where the questions need to be asked 19422Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:48 British Summer Time 20 April19:48 BST 20 April#bbcfootball AC: A memorable goal to settle a turgid game that was played like a pre-season friendly Glad that Trent had his big moment with the travelling fans Don't want him to go but grateful for his tremendous service 56239Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Liverpool can score more goals'published at 19:46 British Summer Time 20 April19:46 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Liverpool were in better form in the winter months but they are getting the job done you come away thinking if it can be a bit more spectacular but then you look at the amount of shots and big chances they created Liverpool have scored 75 goals in Premier League this season And I still feel they can score more goals They could do it with someone else there alongside Mohamed Salah - someone who is as clinical as him 36433Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:44 British Summer Time 20 April19:44 BST 20 April#bbcfootball Everyone likes to take the shine off the winners but I don’t think it’s been an easy season and have taken points off the big teams - or if not at least made Liverpool/Arsenal/Man City look average several times this season Apart from the lack of excitement in the last few weeks I think it’s been a great season for the Premier League Far better than watching two or three teams streets ahead of everyone else 87268Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Special for Trent'published at 19:42 British Summer Time 20 April19:42 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Liverpool speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "Special for him [Trent Alexander-Arnold] because he worked so hard to be back in the squad and as a result of that he had a big moment today." On Liverpool's fans support towards Trent Alexander-Arnold: "I'm here for a year now and all the players who wear the Liverpool shirt have a great reception from the fans whatever they do we always have full support from our fans I wouldn't have expected it any other way today when Trent come on." 41428Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:40 British Summer Time 20 April19:40 BST 20 April#bbcfootball Liverpool winning the league supposedly because the Premier League is weak this year So weak in fact that four PL teams are in European semi finals 1277105Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingVan Nistelrooy on Leicester futurepublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 20 April19:38 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Leicester City speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about being relegated: "I'm very disappointed that it's a definite now but over the last weeks we saw the gap growing although we never gave up and we shifted the focus towards the future to use these games and finish the season as best as possible Next season the Championship will start and it is my job to do the best things possible for the club "I'm working in the coming weeks it is my job to do everything in the best interests of Leicester City." On his future: "I'm waiting on the clarity of the club and how they want to continue I have to wait on how the club sees things and take it from there." 9248Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 20 April19:36 BST 20 April#bbcfootball All the bitter rival fans trying to put a dampener on LFC’s impending title win do make me laugh This league has been more competitive than ever More teams than ever before fighting for European places Just because there’s not two teams on 90+ they claim it’s a weak league where in fact it proves the opposite Anyone saying the Premier League has been poor this season is probably a fan of a team who expected to challenge for the title For Liverpool to be so far ahead is an incredible achievement 1578138Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSlot on the winning the title at Anfieldpublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 20 April19:34 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool 62748Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:32 British Summer Time 20 April19:32 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Liverpool will be confirmed champions on Wednesday if Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace (20:00 BST) Otherwise victory over Tottenham next Sunday in front of their own fans at Anfield will secure a record-equalling 20th championship 55355Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Leicester must look into the mirror'published at 19:30 British Summer Time 20 April19:30 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool Roy KeaneFormer Manchester United midfielder on Sky Sports You have to look into the mirror if you are Leicester It was a good effort today it is too little and too late But it's a big few months coming for them - what to do with the recruitment which players to hold on to and what to do with the manager They have a brilliant training ground and they have won the league and the FA Cup They have had a rollercoaster ride in the past few seasons 19938Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:27 British Summer Time 20 April19:27 BST 20 April#bbcfootball It is ok to struggle as along as enough is done for the win and that is what Liverpool have been doing Should have been a far more comfortable day against one of the league’s lessor sides 634107Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Nice to have players that step up'published at 19:24 British Summer Time 20 April19:24 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool 79041Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLeicester relegated - your reactionpublished at 19:22 British Summer Time 20 April19:22 BST 20 April#bbcfootball David: You feel for those Leicester fans after a decent start to their campaign having not been in the bottom three until sacking their manager for an inexperienced one in order to play more attractive football Don’t know about you but no goals at home for 9 matches isn’t very appealing a prime example of why you should be careful of what you wish for 75670Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'My job to put the club in the best place' - Nistelrooypublished at 19:19 British Summer Time 20 April19:19 BST 20 AprilFT: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool speaking to Sky Sports about his future: "We have to use this time to get better 17194Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedLiverpool one win from title - your reactionpublished at 19:17 British Summer Time 20 April19:17 BST 20 April#bbcfootball As a red it would have been great if we'd blown the opposition away these last few games but we haven't it's the business end of the season and all that matters is we get over the line Let's go do it in style next weekend reds Chief football writer at The King Power StadiumTrent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to claim a late winner and move Liverpool within three points of the Premier League title and relegate Leicester City who has yet to sign a new contract and been heavily linked with a free transfer move to Real Madrid at the end of the season struck 14 minutes from time at King Power Stadium after the leaders had been frustrated by the doomed Foxes by scoring with a left-footed angled effort following efforts by Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota against the woodwork in a goalmouth scramble And the 26-year-old showed what the moment meant by ripping off his shirt then celebrating wildly with the joyous Liverpool fans before hanging it from the corner flag Arne Slot's side are now set for a title party at Anfield against Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday - although the celebrations could start sooner depending on the result of Arsenal's home game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday Alexander-Arnold's finish came as a relief after Salah almost opened the scoring in the opening seconds while Wilfred Ndidi also hit the woodwork for Leicester early on The stage is now set for Liverpool's coronation as champions while the Foxes - who became the first side in top-flight history to go nine consecutive home games without scoring - will return to the Championship after a disappointing season back in the top flight 'Iconic moment in a special Liverpool career - but was it a farewell?' 'A club at a crossroads' - relegated Leicester in need of rebuild Liverpool one win from title - but when could they clinch it Alexander-Arnold has a great left foot - Slot The script was written for Alexander-Arnold to make the decisive contribution after his contract impasse provided an intriguing sub-plot to Liverpool's relentless march to the title While Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk signed new deals in recent days Alexander-Arnold's situation remains unresolved amid confidence in Spain that he will join Real Madrid in the summer on a free transfer This drama was all put to one side as the England defender provided a memorable picture of elation in front of Liverpool's support gathered in one corner of King Power Stadium He provided the image of the day by hanging his Liverpool shirt on the corner flag after ripping it off in a celebratory run towards the travelling fans Alexander-Arnold was then pushed towards them again by his team-mates after the final whistle with victory secured Whether these scenes make any difference to the decision on his future remains to be seen but any suggestion that Liverpool followers had fallen out of love with the player they call "the Scouser in our team" were not in evidence here This was a performance that was a trademark of much of Liverpool's season – dominant without being spectacular but getting the job done against resilient opponents 'My responsibility to lead the club in the best way' - Nistelrooy One damning statistic stands out as a painful illustration of why Leicester are on their way back to the Championship Having failed to breach the Liverpool backline they set an unwanted all-time top-flight record with their ninth home Premier League game in a row without scoring The last time they hit the target here in the league was on 8 December against Brighton which sparked demonstrations before kick-off when a light aircraft flew over the stadium trailing a banner reading "King Power Clueless Sack The Board" the Foxes have been on course for the drop for months It was confirmed here after a performance that was game although Ndidi came close to ending his side's terrible goal drought when he slid a low effort against the post in the opening exchanges Many Leicester fans left well before the end rather than wait for their fate to be officially sealed Now a decision must be made on the future of manager Ruud van Nistelrooy who has had no impact since succeeding sacked Steve Cooper in November The Foxes have earned just eight points from 20 matches under the Dutchman whose job must be in doubt as the troubled club faces another summer of upheaval and uncertainty before life in the Championship again Leicester CityManager: Ruud van Nistelrooij substituted for Diogo Jota at 60 minutesNumber 8 Diogo Jota Match OfficialsReferee: Stuart AttwellVideo Assistant Referee: Michael SalisburyAssistant Referee 1: Constantine HatzidakisAssistant Referee 2: Natalie AspinallFourth Official: Thomas BramallAssistant VAR Official: Wade SmithMatch StatsKey you need to enable JavaScript in your browser 1:17:57Head to HeadSeason so farPremier League Scroll LeftScroll RightLeicester have won just two of their last 13 Premier League games against Liverpool (D1 L10) with both these wins coming consecutively at home in 2021 (3-1 in February Liverpool have won their last four Premier League games against Leicester while they’ve only failed to score in one of their last 15 against the Foxes in the league Leicester have lost both of their league games played on Easter Sunday going down 0-3 at West Ham in the second tier in 1993 and 1-2 at Newcastle in the Premier League in 2022 Liverpool have lost just one of their 10 league games played on Easter Sunday (W7 D2) going down 3-0 at Manchester United in 2008 They will be the second team (after Arsenal earlier today) to play on Easter Sunday in three consecutive years drawing 2-2 with Arsenal in 2023 and beating Brighton 2-1 last year Leicester City have lost their last eight home Premier League games without scoring a single goal Only six teams have ever lost nine home games in a row in the top-flight most recently Southampton between November and March this season If Arsenal lose and Liverpool win on Sunday It’d be just the sixth time a side has won the top-flight title with five games to spare with Liverpool in 2019-20 the last occasion that happened Leicester are looking to avoid becoming the first side in top-flight history to go nine consecutive home games without scoring a goal In Football League history across all divisions only Mansfield (9 in third tier between August and December 1971) and Wolves (10 in second tier between December 1984 and April 1985) have achieved this unwanted feat Mohamed Salah has scored in all five of Liverpool’s Premier League games against newly promoted sides this season (7 goals) No player in the competition’s history has scored in six separate matches against promoted clubs in a single campaign Stephy Mavididi has scored in four Premier League games for Leicester this season but is yet to end on the winning side (D3 L1) The only Foxes player to score in more games without winning in a season is Mark Draper in 1994-95 (5) Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been involved in 45 Premier League goals this season (27 goals by Andrew Cole in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer in 1994-95 (both 34 goals BBC Sport football news reporter Published20 April 2025839 CommentsThe banner flown over the King Power Stadium made its point 'King Power Clueless Sack The Board,' it read just before Leicester City stepped into the last chance saloon for their game against Liverpool A second relegation in three seasons, and instant return to the Championship, was confirmed soon afterwards as Trent Alexander-Arnold's second-half winner put the visitors within three points of the Premier League title It has been a calamitous season after last year's Championship triumph four wins and no home league goals for almost five months The drop had been coming - Leicester have won just once since December - and there was an air of resignation around the ground even before Alexander-Arnold's strike but the majority of home fans had already left Those who stayed offered a smattering of applause It reflected a club in need of a rebuild but how are the biggest questions as Leicester - champions of England nine years ago - face one of their biggest crossroads Leicester relegated as Alexander-Arnold moves Liverpool closer to title When the Foxes sacked Steve Cooper in October they were 16th The teething problems in moving away from Enzo Maresca's style - less expansive and working the ball quicker - were just part of the issue who led them to the Championship title last season before joining Chelsea was well-liked by the squad and Cooper struggled to connect with players even if some of the senior members of the squad - including Jamie Vardy - were onside There was growing concern from the club that any disconnect would impact their survival prospects and one of the reasons why they dismissed Cooper Former Manchester City Elite Development Squad coach Brian Barry-Murphy with the players enjoying the variety and clarity he brought to training since the opening two games - a 3-1 win over West Ham and 2-2 comeback draw with Brighton in December - Leicester have won just four points They have equalled their club-record run of defeats (eight) and despite performances which deserved more and the desire for the Dutchman to succeed The Foxes were more competitive under Cooper - who sacrificed his beliefs to try to find a way to survive - and they drew a blank just once in his 12 Premier League games That is in stark contrast to the lack of goals under Van Nistelrooy - a revered striker for Manchester United Real Madrid and the Netherlands - and they have scored just six times in the league since the draw with Brighton on 8 December Another goalless outing against Liverpool extended the home goal drought to nine league games and 810 minutes - the worst in top-flight history Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Match of the Day: "They have some big decisions to make Some players have recently raised concerns over the standard and intensity of training with the drop-off being connected to Leicester's impending relegation which was becoming increasingly inevitable The fall-out with midfielder Harry Winks - Van Nistelrooy has dropped him for the last four games for refusing to agree to stay at the training ground one night a week - emphasises the growing tensions When asked about whether he had been able to improve the standards and culture in his five months at the club "When you don't combine them with results it's always hard There's no negotiation on these standards and I hold everyone accountable on those," the Dutchman said this month "I know how I worked from a village of 5,000 people in the middle of nowhere to Manchester United and Real Madrid I know what is necessary to stay at the highest level and I know there are so many people working at this football club who have the quality to do so "In difficult moments you get to know people and characters very well I speak about standards and what is needed to perform at the highest level and that's a culture which needs to be created in this club." Defender Conor Coady has been one trying to raise spirits at the club's Seagrave training base but it has been an almost impossible task with results - and he admitted Leicester have not been good enough "We've took a bit of stick and we'll continue to take stick because it's deserved," said the former England centre-back we haven't been at a level to fully compete in the Premier League and you have to be because it'll chew you up and spit you out." Jon Rudkin and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha watched Leicester's defeat to Liverpool director of football Jon Rudkin and the board have been the target for fans this season They see Rudkin as a root cause of their decline in recent seasons in the same position when the Foxes stunned the world to win the Premier League in 2016 It does not help that the hierarchy rarely speak publicly allowing supporters to understand and digest the situation Chief executive Susan Whelan twice met with the Foxes Trust and the club's Fan Advisory Board in February for candid and constructive meetings but the wider fanbase remain disconnected Does chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha decide to make a change at the top does head of recruitment Martyn Glover's position come under more scrutiny following a number of poor transfer windows Van Nistelrooy's position remains a doubt and it is hard to see a long-term future in the wake of damning statistics Defeat against Liverpool leaves him with the unenviable record of having lost 17 of his 22 games He has lost 16 of his last 18 matches in charge and what manager with that record survives who confirmed there was no date set for talks on his future said on Sunday: "I'm waiting on the clarity of the club and how they want to continue I have to wait on how the club sees things and take it from there In a situation like this you have to sit very carefully with the club to discuss the matters." Yet sacking a second manager of the season has financial consequences and with money tight Can Leicester financially afford to sack Van Nistelrooy but There is also an acceptance the squad needs a reset but only three players are out of contract - goalkeepers Daniel Iversen and Danny Ward What happens with Vardy - influential at the club as their last remaining title winner and the scorer of 198 goals - remains open but it's the biggest decision the club has to make in terms of the squad given his reputation and achievements It means Leicester must shift big earners to make wholesale changes to a squad which has Wilfred Ndidi signed a new three-year contract last summer but his appetite for another Championship campaign is likely to have waned and the same will go for defenders Ricardo Pereira and Wout Faes Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen has been a rare bright spot and will have his admirers despite an underwhelming first season in England while Winks' situation could depend on Van Nistelrooy's exit Profit and Sustainability Rules will be a concern so sales are inevitable and the threat of possibly further action from the EFL remains Leicester escaped a points deduction for a PSR breach in the three years to 30 June 2023, successfully arguing the Premier League had no power to punish them as they were already in the EFL at the time of the charge and the club remains in talks with the Premier League and EFL they have to fall under some jurisdiction and cannot be left to float Leicester know they will be a Championship club next season and deep-rooted problems - which pre-date and go beyond Van Nistelrooy - need to be dealt with They made an immediate return last time they went down in 2023 This time their short-term future is far less certain View comments | 839Top storiesZhao claims historic victory over Williams in Crucible final playVardy announces Leicester departure (1:07)Jamie Vardy reveals he will be leaving Leicester at the end of the Premier League season Jamie Vardy will leave Leicester City at the end of the season, the already-relegated Premier League club confirmed on Thursday has painted himself into Leicester folklore during his 13 years leading the line scoring 198 goals in 495 appearances and playing a pivotal role in a miraculous Premier League title triumph in 2016 The England international has also collected an FA Cup, Community Shield and two Championship titles with the Foxes, and has been hailed as their "greatest-ever player" in a club statement "I've been here so long that I truly never thought it would end, so this has not only been really difficult for me to write but also a really difficult decision to make," Vardy said in a video published on his social media "Leicester City has been my second home and my extended family and my life for 13 years the people mean so much to me and my family It's a place that has shaped the lives of our kids who have been so lucky to call Leicester home for so long But for me the time has come to say goodbye." Vardy has scored 198 goals in 495 appearances for the club over 13 years. GettyVardy's last campaign with Leicester hasn't been a memorable one, with the club's relegation already confirmed. Ruud van Nistelrooy's side sit 19th with just 18 points, and Vardy's last game for the club will be on May 18 against Ipswich Town. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leicester City (@lcfc) He insists he is not yet calling time on his career is that I'm not saying farewell to you [the fans] on the back of a much better season," Vardy added "This isn't the way I wanted my career here to finish I want to keep playing and doing my enjoy most: Scoring goals Hopefully there are a few more for Leicester between now and the end of the season and many more in the future I might be 38 but I still have the desire and ambition to achieve so much more." Vardy has scored just seven goals for Leicester this season, with his best campaign for the club coming in 2015-16 when he struck up a superb relationship with Riyad Mahrez on the way to a shock league title. Leicester were 5000-1 outsiders heading into the season. "Jamie is unique," stated Leicester City Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. "He is a special player and an even more special person. He holds a place in the hearts of everyone connected to Leicester City, and he certainly has my deepest respect and affection. "On behalf of everyone at Leicester City, I wish Jamie and his family the very best for the future and I know our supporters will join us in giving him the send-off he deserves at the end of this season." 460 CommentsLeicester City captain Jamie Vardy has described his club's season as "miserable" and a "total embarrassment" after their relegation from the Premier League Leicester's 1-0 defeat by Liverpool on Sunday confirmed an immediate return to the Championship meaning they have been relegated from the top flight in two of the past three seasons "No words I have can ever express my feelings of anger and sadness with the way this season has gone There are no excuses," Vardy wrote on social media "Having been at this club for so long we've experienced so many highs and successes - and this season has been nothing but miserable and for me personally Striker Vardy was part of the Leicester side that won the Premier League title in 2015-16 before reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in 2016-17 and winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2021 Leicester are 19th in the Premier League table having won just 18 points from 33 games Their fortunes did not improve after appointing Ruud van Nistelrooy as manager in November and the Foxes are now unable to match the 34 point-tally that saw them relegated two years ago Vardy has made 496 appearances for Leicester since joining the club from Fleetwood Town in 2012 He scored 18 goals as Leicester won the Championship last season but this term he has managed just seven in the league View comments | 460Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Leicester City have become the first Premier League team to lose eight Premier League games in a row without scoring a single goal Their latest defeat, a 3-0 loss to Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium in which they were two goals down inside 11 minutes, left them above only already-relegated Southampton in the table Leicester are the only team to lose eight consecutive games without scoring in the top-flight since Sunderland managed it in 1976-77 "We lost another game starting with the best intentions It's very disappointing and worrying," Leicester head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy told the BBC Especially if there aren't light points to build on "The most difficult thing is we are in a place for such a long time and there are no results The most important thing is the club and to bring it forward Leicester will be relegated if 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers win their next two games Leicester City set an unwanted Premier League record on Monday. Getty ImagesThe soon-to-be Championship side brought in Van Nistelrooy in November as they looked to halt their slide towards the drop but the Dutchman was unable to improve upon the results that got his predecessor Steve Cooper the sack Asked if he still feels able to lead Leicester's fight against relegation, the Manchester United legend told Sky Sports: "This is a difficult night It's important to analyse this and sleep on it and recover but it's dealing with another setback for now that's what I can say." Leicester have not found the back of the net in the division since Bilal El Khannouss' strike in their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in north London on Jan 26 They have not scored a goal at home since Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored a 91st-minute equaliser to earn Leicester a point against Brighton & Hove Albion on Dec Monga took to the pitch in a sponsorless kit as his age means he is unable to advertise the services of Leicester's shirt sponsor "BC Game" -- an online cryptocurrency gaming and gambling platform. "You could see glimpses of his great qualities," Van Nistelrooy told the BBC. "He's a great winger and has speed. He's a fantastic talent, a great boy. He deserved these minutes and hopefully, more to come. "It's clear and we've been saying that. We want to show what we're about and show our qualities but we aren't able to. "I want the club to do well. The club is first and that is something to consider. It is hard because I came to the club to help it forward but it is clear there haven't been enough results to get points on the board and that's not good enough." Leicester travel to face Brighton in their next fixture on Saturday. Information from ESPN's Global Sports Research contributed to this report Jeremy Monga came on for the final 16 minutes of Leicester's defeat Leicester City debutant Jeremy Monga had to wear a blank shirt when he became the second-youngest player in Premier League history Monga came off the bench in the 74th minute of Leicester's 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle United on Monday Monga became the second-youngest player to play in the competition behind Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri who debuted at 15 years 181 days in September 2022 But because Leicester's home kit is sponsored by BC.GAME the England Under-16 winger could not wear it A review in 2020 of the Gambling Act 2005 - which the Premier League is committed to follow - prohibits players under the age of 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors "You could see glimpses of his great qualities He's a great winger and has speed," Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy said of Monga Monga will turn 16 on 10 July and will be able to sign his first professional contract when he turns 17 in 2026 Monga has largely played for Leicester's Under-18s and Under-23s this season while also making three appearances in the Football League Trophy He was an unused substitute in the Foxes' 2-1 FA Cup fourth round defeat by Manchester United in February The other youngest players to appear in the Premier League are Harvey Elliott who played for Fulham at 16 years and 30 days old Matthew Briggs who played for Fulham at 16 years 68 days Isaiah Brown who represented West Brom at 16 years 117 days and Aaron Lennon who was 16 years 129 days when he played for Leeds An eighth-straight league defeat without scoring leaves Leicester 19th in the table and 15 points adrift of safety with seven games remaining Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China playEchegaray: Leicester didn't improve under Van Nistelrooy (1:22)Luis Miguel Echegaray believes Leicester were wrong to replace Steve Cooper with Ruud Van Nistelrooy following confirmation of their Premier League relegation Leicester City have been condemned to an immediate return to the Championship after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed with a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. It marks the second relegation in three years for Leicester, who earned an immediate return to the top flight last season as winners of the Championship. It has been a struggle from the start this season, though, for the 2015-16 Premier League winners. They failed to win any of their first six games and sacked manager Steve Cooper after 15 games with the team in 16th position. Leicester turned to former Man United assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy to steer the club to safety, but the appointment did nothing to turn around the team's fortunes. Leicester went into Sunday's game as the first team in England's top four divisions to lose eight consecutive home games without scoring a goal -- the 1-0 loss taking that total to nine. "We have to use this time to get better," Van Nistelrooy said after the game. "The club will continue and it is my job to put the club in the best place possible." Asked when he will know whether he is staying on, Van Nistelrooy said: "I hope soon. The new season starts very soon and preparation needs to start to move forward. Leicester's display on Sunday had some positives, but relegation has felt inevitable for months. "I'm very disappointed that it's a definite now. We kept hoping and fighting, but over the last weeks we saw the gap growing," Van Nistelrooy said. "Then you see it coming, although we never gave up and we shifted the focus towards the future to use these games and finish the season as best as possible. "Next season the Championship will start and it is my job to do the best things possible for the club. I'm working in the coming weeks, it is my job to do everything in the best interests of Leicester City. "I'm waiting on the clarity of the club and how they want to continue. It is the goal to lead the club." BBC Sport football news reporter Published2 April 2025Leicester have posted a £19.4m loss in their accounts for 2023-2024 - the season they spent in the Championship Those latest losses are significantly reduced compared to deficits of £92.5m in 2021-22 and £89.7m in 2022-23 - which led to the Foxes being charged by the Premier League for an alleged breach of profit and sustainability rules (PSR) Leicester successfully appealed that charge, arguing that as they were in the EFL at the time the charge was issued the Premier League did not have jurisdiction to punish them there is still a degree of uncertainty over whether Leicester will face a PSR charge for the three-year period up to 2022-23 from the EFL with a Premier League statement in January saying the issue of "jurisdiction" was "the subject of confidential arbitration proceedings" The outcome is unlikely to be known before the Foxes - who are 12 points from top-flight safety - discover which division they are in next season Premier League clubs can lose £105m over three years which is reduced by £22 million for each year in the EFL with Leicester winning the Championship title in 2023-24 clubs cannot exceed £39m losses over a three-year cycle If Leicester are relegated again their maximum loss for their next accounts to include 2024-25 would be £83m taking in two seasons in the Premier League and one in the Championship Harvey Barnes' £38m move to Newcastle and Timothy Castagne's £15m transfer to Fulham in 2023 are included in their 2023-24 accounts while the £10m compensation banked from former manager Enzo Maresca's switch to Chelsea last summer will also ease losses Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's £30m transfer to Chelsea in summer 2024 is also included Chief executive Susan Whelan added: "As a club we still have work to do to return to the consistent heights of the last 15 years and the ability to successfully adapt to different challenges is a strength we will rely on as we build for future seasons." Leicester go to Manchester City on Wednesday having lost 13 of their past 14 games They sacked Steve Cooper in November and replaced him with Ruud van Nistelrooy but the former Manchester United striker has won just three of his 18 games in charge Fans have also protested against the running of the club during the season with director of football Jon Rudkin coming under pressure Referee David Webb’s Premier League debut lasted just 22 minutes as he was forced to leave the field during the first half of the clash between Leicester City and Southampton at King Power Stadium Webb was inadvertently struck on the side of the head by Leicester forward Jordan Ayew as he ran past him and Webb slumped to the ground Concerned players rushed to Webb and Leicester forward Jamie Vardy grabbed the official’s hand and blew his whistle to stop the game Medical staff from both clubs came on to treat Webb and a stretcher was readied but he was able to recover enough to walk off the pitch After a lengthy delay of 11 minutes and 55 seconds fourth official Sam Barrott took Webb’s place and Phil Sharp Premier League match official Akil Howson lives locally to Leicester and he was contacted by the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) the body responsible for officiating in the English professional game Howson travelled to the stadium to step in as fourth official for the second half who had briefly deputised as fourth official for the remainder of the first half had only been present at the fixture to assist as Webb was making his Premier League debut Webb was assessed at half time and was deemed to be fine having just been left disorientated following the collision with Ayew that is not easy,” Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy said at full time “And Jamie Vardy blew his whistle to stop the game “I haven’t seen a body check like that on a referee Webb has been a referee since the age of 20 and has officiated in the English Football League since 2008 He has refereed over 500 professional games and has twice acted as a fourth official in the Premier League this season but Saturday’s fixture was his first taking charge of an English top-flight match Vardy had put the hosts in front with Leicester’s first home league goal since December 8 Vardy, 38, announced in April he would be leaving Leicester at the end of the season following 13 years at the club. He is the club’s third all-time top scorer, a Premier League champion, and has earned a reputation for his unconventional antics on and off the pitch After his quick intervention following Webb’s injury Van Nistelrooy said the club will miss Vardy’s personality “I don’t know how he comes up with these things but also in moments like that,” Van Nistelrooy added “It can be a celebration or can be a moment like this where he just starts to improvise so we’ll be missing these things as well.” with Ayew adding a second in the 44th minute to end their run of 11 Premier League games without a victory Not many managers can survive a run of 17 defeats in 19 games nine consecutive defeats at home without scoring a single goal or picking up just eight points from a possible 63 such a run of statistics places the manager’s position in the untenable category such poor performances will have the supporters of that club demanding a change That hasn’t been the case for Leicester City and Ruud van Nistelrooy Leicester could have been tempted to make a second change of what has been a dire campaign having sacked Steve Cooper after 12 games when he had 10 points on the board and the club was outside the relegation zone ‘What’s the point?’ Relegation seemed a certainty anyway They then could have decided enough was enough when relegation was confirmed with five games still to play as Southampton did when they removed their second manager of the season If the Leicester fans are scratching their heads and wondering what is going on and who will be the manager next season given the overhaul needed of a failing squad, and rebuilding the club for a promotion challenge against the backdrop of EFL scrutiny over the club’s profit and sustainability rule compliance, then so is Van Nistelrooy. “(I am) still hoping to find out,” Van Nistelrooy said before the 2-0 home win over Southampton. “The quicker the better, in the best interest of the club. “We’re all hoping to find out soon. There’s 70 people working at the training ground who want to evaluate the season (and start) looking forward to the next.” Van Nistelrooy says he has told the senior management, who have been the focal point for the supporters’ anger and frustration this season, what he thinks needs to be done, in terms of the squad and structures at the club, but he is in the dark as much as everyone else. The decision will be made by one man, chairman and owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, known as Khun Top. He rarely speaks publicly beyond his matchday magazine notes, but before the visit of Southampton he did stress in his column there is a plan for moving forward, without expressing what that entails. “Our future planning begins immediately, including across these remaining four games, where the foundations for next season will be laid,” he wrote. “There are decisions to be made in a number of areas and discussions required to shape our preparation for 2025-26 and beyond. This will continue in the coming weeks.” One thing does seem clear — Van Nistelrooy wants the job. In terms of making a case for him to retain his position, that is a first positive. He admits he has learned so much in his five months in charge of Leicester that he is now in the position to understand what is required moving forward. A new manager may have to learn from scratch. If he stays, the futures of Harry Winks, Jannik Vestergaard and many others will be elsewhere. He wouldn’t say so publicly, but at times Van Nistelrooy, according to club sources who wished to remain anonymous to protect relationships, has been concerned by the lack of commitment and attitude from some in the squad. He has said he has felt his team has lacked the physical fitness and energy to play the style of fast, aggressive, pressing football he wants. That can only be rectified in a pre-season and through recruitment. Since relegation, he has looked more to young players, providing a glimpse of the direction Leicester may go in should he stay. Academy graduates Kasey McAteer and Luke Thomas have come back into the side, although in McAteer’s case injuries to the wingers have given him the opportunity. Likewise, teenage wingers Jeremy Monga, who made his fourth appearance as a sub despite still being only 15 and studying for his GCSEs, and 16-year-old Jake Evans, who made his home debut from the bench, have been blooded. Monga has been turning up for training still in his school uniform and the pair are so young they cannot wear shirts with the club’s gambling or beer sponsors on, or even change with their adult team-mates for safeguarding reasons. Van Nistelrooy’s background as a coach has been in developing young players at PSV and, with Leicester likely to have a clearout of the more experienced players and higher earners, that could be valuable. Financially, sacking a second manager in a season would put a dent in the financial PSR calculation. Keeping Van Nistelrooy would ease the financial situation, but it is not an overriding reason. After five different managers over the past three years, some stability would be welcomed too. But the key question Khun Top has to ask himself is this: is Van Nistelrooy the right man to take the club forward? Another is: will the disgruntled fans back him? Khun Top wrote that the planning has begun and, without question, that will include assessing other managerial options. Who is available? Who would want this challenge? Who fits with the club’s vision? He may have someone in mind but Leicester don’t have the luxury of taking their time. In his pre-match press conference, Van Nistelrooy was calling for clarity and talking about how crucial it is to start the planning for next season now. After a rare win, which ended the barren home run and provided a second clean sheet of the league season, his tone shifted as he refused to talk about the future too much, emphasising his focus was only on the final three games. Only one man will truly know what will happen. (Top photo: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images) he says \"it's good to finish the season with positivity.\"","thumbnailUrl":["https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920x1080/p0l83n83.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1232x1232/p0l83n83.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/688xn/p0l83n83.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0l83n83.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-05-03T16:55:44.196Z","duration":"PT3M46S"}It feels great to be back to winning ways - Van NistelrooyThere was an error Ruud van Nistelrooy praises his Leicester City side after scoring at home for the first time since December 8th in a 2-0 win over struggling Southampton he says "it's good to finish the season with positivity." MATCH REPORT: Vardy takes goal tally to 199 in win over Southampton Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsIt feels great to be back to winning ways - Van Nistelrooy 00:03:46It feels great to be back to winning ways - Van Nistelrooy 3:46 Up Next Ayew end Leicester's home scoring drought in win over Southampton2:06Vardy snaps Leicester's goalless streak vs SouthamptonMark Ogden reacts to Leicester City's 2-0 win vs Vardy, who will leave Leicester at the end of the season after 13 years with the club, put the hosts ahead in the 17th minute when he latched onto Bilal El Khannouss's cross and fired high into the net for his 199th goal in a Leicester shirt Ayew doubled the lead in the 44th when he struck a free-kick into the wall only for the ball to land back at his feet for him to hammer home past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale Leicester are 19th on 21 points after their fifth win Bottom side Southampton have 11 points and only three games left to avoid being the joint-worst team in Premier League history Ruud Van Nistelrooy's side had not scored in the league at the King Power since a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on December 8 becoming the first team in the top four tiers of English soccer to go nine straight home matches without finding the net The fans cheekily chanted "We scored a goal!" Adding to the emotions the 38-year-old Vardy ended his team's drought in what was his penultimate match at Leicester's home stadium Beleaguered Southampton briefly celebrated after believing they had pulled one back in the second half when Mateus Fernandes bundled in the rebound off Paul Onuachu's header The game was delayed for 12 minutes in the first half after referee David Webb suffered a head injury and was replaced was struck in the face by the shoulder of Ayew and fell to the pitch Vardy, who will leave Leicester at the end of the season after 13 years with the club, put the hosts ahead in the 17th minute when he latched onto Bilal El Khannouss's cross and fired high into the net for his 199th goal in a Leicester shirt Ayew doubled the lead in the 44th when he struck a free-kick into the wall only for the ball to land back at his feet for him to hammer home past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale Ruud Van Nistelrooy's side had not scored in the league at the King Power since a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on December 8 The fans cheekily chanted \"We scored a goal!\" Adding to the emotions Beleaguered Southampton briefly celebrated after believing they had pulled one back in the second half when Mateus Fernandes bundled in the rebound off Paul Onuachu's header You have come to the all new Global edition Getty ImagesEmily SalleyBBC Sport journalistPublished3 May 2025The end of the season can not come fast enough for Southampton Even against the second-worst team in the Premier League the Saints were outplayed and lacked any sort of cutting edge Leicester dominated and the game was put to bed when Jordan Ayew added the Foxes' second before before the break It is likely that many Derby County fans thought this was the game that would see Southampton move clear from their longstanding But still the Saints stay on course to equal Derby's 11 points from the 2007-08 season Arsenal have been second-best in the league this season while Manchester City have recovered from their blip and are chasing Champions League football on the penultimate weekend of the season is the Saints' best hope to get that all-important point But whether they can do it or not is another story altogether Interim boss Simon Rusk will certainly need his side to put on a better performance than what they showed at King Power Stadium Related topicsSouthampton Premier League FootballTop storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Interim boss Simon Rusk was on the defensive afterwards explaining that it was not a tactical decision to bring off the fan favourite but that was not the only grief Saints received The players also copped it from the travelling supporters with Rusk forced to deny that they had given up in the second half We already know that Saints require a massive overhaul in the summer but there also seems to be a growing disconnect between the fans and the club That could make life in an already difficult division next season an even bigger challenge Ayew recovered to score Leicester's second as they earned all three points at the King Power Stadium "I felt sorry for the ref," Leicester head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy told a pos-tmatch news conference but I have not seen a body check like that for a long time." The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The bingo sensation has seen people win prizes and dance on tables across the country since it started in Liverpool in 2015 This summer, a special 90s themed night will transform one of the usual shows into a dollop of nostalgia for many attendees said: "We love a theme at Bongo’s Bingo and there’s just so much to work with from the '90s READ MORE:Leicestershire town hosts treasure hunt to raise awareness of 'invisible' disease "There’s amazing music from bangers to classics and endless hands-in-the-air tunes which will have everyone in raptures The '90s events are part of our July release in Leicester so it’s time to get involved and start the summer with us." songs ranging from the Backstreet Boys to Nirvana and TLC to 2Pac Guests will also get to test their knowledge on shows including Sex In The City The organisers said: "Expect all of the usual madness plus special themed prizes and music at the '90s specials for the complete immersive experience with fancy dress very much encouraged to get fully into the mood" A regular B ongo's Bingo event takes place at the same venue on Saturday Tickets for the July shows are on sale now For more information or to book tickets visit the Bongo's Bingo website We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right For a moment Van Dijk’s duty as captain extended to ushering Trent Alexander-Arnold towards the fans who are resigned to him departing for Real Madrid this summer, but only after the club win a 20th league title. Alexander-Arnold applauded and then clenched both fists overhead, a nod to the incoming crown. The party atmosphere was not lost on Alexander-Arnold, Arne Slot or, indeed, anyone of a Liverpool persuasion. “The scouser in our team,” sang the travelling support on loop. Then there were the giant red “2” and “0” balloons, floating between jubilant fans, and the Courteeners-themed flag that simply read: “It’s Not Nineteen Forever.” we’re gonna win the league,” the 3,292 travelling supporters cheered long after the rest of this stadium emptied The only thing is they are going to have to wait that little bit longer The crown could arrive as early as Wednesday if Arsenal lose at home against Crystal Palace then Liverpool can clinch it with victory against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday “I think the only thing the fans want is us winning the league,” Slot said afterwards “After one league title in 35 years with them not being involved [in 2019-20] as much as they probably wanted because of Covid I’m definitely looking forward to next week because I assume that Arsenal and the first chance we have is next week against Tottenham.” Now Leicester’s hierarchy have another decision to make Before a ball had been kicked almost all of the juice of this match had been slowly siphoned out over the course of Arsenal’s win at Ipswich Slot said he caught the first 10 minutes before heading into a pre-match meeting and boarding the bus to the King Power Stadium Mohamed Salah saw the first of his several efforts pinball off one post and against the other before Ricardo Pereira hacked the ball clear inside three minutes Luis Díaz saw an acrobatic effort drop wide before the interval Leicester’s relegation was confirmed after their defeat against Liverpool Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAThe only surprise was how long it took Liverpool to kill off the second‑leakiest defence in the division Wilfred Ndidi hit a post in the first half and a few minutes before Alexander-Arnold struck a VAR review also went in Liverpool’s favour Conor Coady headed in from a recycled free-kick but Patson Daka was deemed to have fouled Alisson when bumping the goalkeeper a couple of seconds earlier That meant Leicester would suffer the ignominy of failing to score in a ninth successive top-flight home game only Mansfield in 1971-72 and Wolves in 1984-85 have also such an unedifying feat Liverpool finished up with 28 shots to Leicester’s five Díaz volleyed over from a Conor Bradley cross Mads Hermansen saved well from Kostas Tsimikas who was again preferred to Andy Robertson at left-back Another full-back sealed Liverpool victory instead Alexander-Arnold arrived in place of Bradley for his first appearance in five weeks after an ankle injury on 71 minutes He made a lasting impact five minutes later ShowDownload the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.If you already have the Guardian app make sure you’re on the most recent version.In the Guardian app then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.Was this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.Tsimikas’s corner caused a headache in the Leicester box and Salah saw his shot strike a post before Diogo Jota The ball dropped for Alexander-Arnold and he wellied a left-foot shot back where it came from and made sure to bask in the occasion After seven minutes of second-half stoppage time Leicester are heading back to the Championship thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s winnner I thought we played quite well today but looking back on the season We’ve taken some stick and we will continue to do so and we deserve it “I could speak to you about all day because I am as annoyed as anyone. We have not done enough as a club all season. We have to put the club in the best position we can to have a good summer and get back into the Premier League. We have to win a game of football, we have to put the club and the people at this club first. “We’ve tried out best, we’ve got leaders in our dressing room. It has taken a hit on us because we’ve not been winning games. We were not strong enough to get through it. I am devastated, I’ve been devastated for weeks when Wolves and West Ham have been getting points.” 20 Apr 202519.32 CESTI would not like to read to much into Alexander-Arnold’s words but I think we can all accept he is off to Real Madrid this summer now. 20 Apr 202519.31 CESTAlexander-Arnold: “I think being so close to winning title and first back from injury, it was an important game for me. I’ve worked so hard to get back fit and I was happy to contribute with the goal. “I am pretty sure that is my first goal with my left foot, I got their in the end. It is the one type of goal, I have been missing. We are one win away from winning the league. It was a very special moment. “The fans have been outstanding again this season, they have pushed us to the end and they’ve done it again today. They are the ones that spend money and travel. “I’ve said all season, I am not going to speak on my situation. I am not going to go into details. These are special moments that will live for me together.” Alexis Mac Allister: “I am very happy of the team and Trent, he has worked hard to come back. It is a special moment for him an he deserves it.” 20 Apr 202519.22 CEST90+6 mins: Monga’s not really had a touch since coming on but must be great to be playing against Salah et al at 15. Buonanotte whacks a shot well over from 20 yards. The gig is up. 20 Apr 202519.20 CEST90+4 mins: Can Leicester score two goals in the final few minutes and then win their next five matches? Do you believe in miracles? Jones on for Diaz. Andy Flintoff emails: “Leicester were complaining about the goal as Hermansen had taken out a Leicester defender during the scramble leading up to it, and the defender looked like he might have had a head injury, so the game should have been stopped before TAA hit it. He hadn’t, so the goal stood.” “Oh, well. At least it’s fun to see TAA back and firing again. This game felt drab before his and Elliott’s introductions. “As disappointing as Trent’s likely departure is, he cemented his place for me as a Liverpool legend in 2019, when he took that unforgettable corner quickly against Barcelona.” 20 Apr 202519.16 CEST90 mins: Seven minutes added on. Not sure why … 20 Apr 202519.15 CEST88 mins: Hermansen comes to punch a cross, clearing out Faes in the process. The referee still gives Leicester a free-kick. Sarah Wilson emails: “Er thanks....we know we’re going down but can you save dismantling the team in such a disdainful way for a wee bit longer yet?” You’re going down as you’re not very good. I am not sure it is disdainful, just analytical. 20 Apr 202519.12 CEST86 mins: Monga can’t have the betting company on his shirt because he is so young. How sweet. I’d finished my first year of university when he was born. God I am old. 20 Apr 202519.11 CEST84 mins: Mavididi plays the ball into Buonanotte’s path but he drags his shot wide from near the penalty spot. Van Nistelrooy makes more chances as Ndidi and Pereira are removed, Skipp and Justin are sent on. A further change is then required as Mavididi, Leicester’s best player today, is injured. Fifteen-year-old Monga replaces him. 20 Apr 202519.08 CEST82 mins: Salah takes aim but Coady is in the way It is at times like these where you wonder which Leicester players could be in the Premier League next season. Mavididi is decent and Ndidi could do a job for someone. After that … 20 Apr 202519.06 CEST80 mins: Salah chips a cross to the back post for Jota to attack but he heads it over from very close range. 20 Apr 202519.04 CEST78 mins: If anyone wants to question Alexander-Arnold’s commitment to Liverpool, then the celebration dispels that. Maybe he is just a young man who wants a new challenge … 20 Apr 202519.04 CESTGOAL! Tsimikas swings in the corner, it pinballs around inside the box, as Salah has a shot saved before Jota hits the bar. The ball comes out to Alexander-Arnold who thwacks a shot across goal through Hermansen. The defender sprints over to the corner, removing his top. Leicester complain but there is no infringement. 20 Apr 202519.02 CESTGOAL 20 Apr 202518.59 CEST72 mins: Mavididi forced Slot to take off Bradley. He will fancy his chances against the replacement, too. 20 Apr 202518.57 CEST71 mins: Alexander-Arnold and Elliott replace Szoboszlai and Bradley. 20 Apr 202518.57 CEST70 mins: Leicester are looking lively at the moment, knowing they are in a do-or-die situation. It should be said, they need to win their final six matches, including this one and make up a 20-odd goal difference on West Ham. 20 Apr 202518.55 CEST69 mins: More Liverpool subs are getting stripped. They need to up it here. It is quite a pedestrian performance in general. Alexander-Arnold and Elliott are ready. 20 Apr 202518.53 CEST67 mins: GOAL DISALLOWED The resulting free-kick goes into the box and bounces around for a bit In the end Leicester do get the ball in the net via Coady but only after Daka pushes Alisson out of the way Salah dribbles the ball straight out of play, giving away a free-kick. Things get worse for Liverpool as the throw is taking quickly to Mavididi, who flicks the ball past Bradley, forcing the full-back to bring him down. The referee shows the full-back a yellow card. 20 Apr 202518.48 CEST62 mins: Double change for Leicester as Daka and Buonanotte replace Decordova-Reid and Vardy. 20 Apr 202518.46 CEST60 mins: Salah gets a chance inside the box he shoots off-balance and the ball drifts wide. 20 Apr 202518.45 CEST59 mins: Gakpo is the latest Liverpool player to reach the byline bit his cross is pretty aimless and Soumare sweeps up. Changes are afoot for Leicester, who really need to win. 20 Apr 202518.43 CEST57 mins: Bit of a strange one as Diaz tries to flick the ball over the Leicester defence, everyone gets confused, allowing Tsimikas to pounce but Hermansen stays big to save. 20 Apr 202518.41 CEST55 mins: It is starting to feel like some point soon, Liverpool will click and score. The moment almost comes when Bradley clips to Diaz whose volley flies over the bar. 20 Apr 202518.39 CEST53 mins: El Khannous outmuscles Tsimikas and whips in a cross but it is a good height for Alisson it claim. Down other end … Szoboszlai gets to the byline and picks out Gakpo but his shot is blocked. 20 Apr 202518.37 CEST51 mins: Another Liverpool corner is sent into the box and Hermansen comes to punch clear, much to his defence’s relief. 20 Apr 202518.35 CEST49 mins: Szoboszlai takes aim from 25 yards, hitting a shot that bounces just in front of Hermansen, who palms it straight out. Thankfully for the goalkeeper, Coady is there to clear up. Sky kindly pointing out that Leicester have lost their past eight home games without scoring. Fair play to everyone who has stayed away. 20 Apr 202518.33 CEST47 mins: Tsimikas whips a cross for Salah at the back post but Thomas just about beats the Egyptian to it. 20 Apr 202518.31 CESTSecond halfHere we go again! 20 Apr 202518.17 CESTHalf-time reading … 20 Apr 202518.15 CEST45 mins: One minute added on. 20 Apr 202518.14 CEST44 mins: Leicester have successfully slowed things down … 20 Apr 202518.12 CEST42 mins: Bradley charges forward and slips a pass through to Gakpo, who takes a touch and fires off a shot but it lacks power and is straight at the goalkeeper. Tsimikas gets to the byline soon after, whipping a cross to the back post for Salah but he cannot control the volley. Is the opener coming? 20 Apr 202518.10 CEST40 mins: Hermansen is called into action once more by Gakpo, after a cross chipped to the back post causes the goalkeeper a few problems, forcing him to tip it behind. Konate attacks the corner and the header is destined for the corner until Soumare intervenes, kicking the ball over. 20 Apr 202518.08 CEST38 mins: Diaz’s cross loops up, allowing Gakpo to attempt a diving header which Hermansen saves. “As for the weather, I’m in the south of France (Nimes), it’s windy with skudding clouds and nice sun in between.. “ 20 Apr 202518.04 CEST34 mins: Vardy passes the ball straight out of play and is very unhappy with himself Such a tricky gig being the Leicester lone forward at the moment 20 Apr 202518.00 CEST30 mins: Liverpool have a corner after a Salah volley is blocked. Mac Allister sends in an outswinger but the hosts get rid. “I have my iPod (yes, it still works) running in the background today. It just shuffled to ‘Close to the Edge’,” emails Joe Pearson from 2014. '“Appropriate for Leicester, one supposes.” 20 Apr 202517.58 CEST28 mins: Ndidi catches Diaz on the ankle and gives away a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Szoboszlai and Mac Allister are over the ball. The Hungarian takes on the shot but it bounces into Hermansen’s arms. 20 Apr 202517.56 CEST26 mins: Feels a bit like are going through the motions. Slot, I suspect, will want his team to up the tempo a bit here. 20 Apr 202517.54 CEST24 mins: Bradley has a chance inside the Leicester box but it is blocked and the danger removed. Van Nistelrooy swears after Faes plays a stunning pass to Mavididi, only to be deemed offside, which he is. 20 Apr 202517.52 CEST22 mins: Thomas finds Coady at the back post but Liverpool get it clear and almost break through Salah. The Egyptian, however, cannot keep control of the ball. Lauren Hemp has not played for Manchester City since a 4-0 win over Tottenham on 8 November Forward Lauren Hemp "will be in the squad" for Manchester City's next game against Leicester after five months out with a knee injury The 24-year-old has not played since 8 November but took part in training with City on Friday after recovering from surgery "Lauren Hemp will be in the squad for the Leicester game as it stands," Cushing said after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Everton in the Women's Super League she probably just didn't do enough team training to make the game today "She'll definitely be in the squad for Leicester and she's really hungry to start helping the team." The England international is one of several key players battling to regain full fitness in time for the Lionesses' defence of their European Championship title in Switzerland in July Her City team-mate Alex Greenwood is continuing her recovery after surgery on a medial collateral ligament (MCL) knee injury while Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway also remains out after tearing the lateral ligament in her right knee during a training session in January Chelsea also announced on Friday that Lionesses forward Lauren James has "sustained a hamstring injury and will be out for a period of time" England manager Sarina Wiegman confirmed Hemp's knee issue was not an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury when asked about it in November. An injury of that severity would in all probability have ruled her out of England's Euros plans but Hemp - who usually features as a winger - will now look to build towards full match fitness Hemp was one of the standout performers in the WSL this season scoring twice and assisting five times in seven matches City sat at the top of the WSL table when Hemp sustained her knee injury in November an injury crisis and a managerial shuffle has seen the club drop to fourth - 12 points off leaders Chelsea The club are currently without her and captain Greenwood Naomi Layzell and keeper Ayaka Yamashita have also missed a significant number of games this season What's gone wrong for Man City in trophyless season Head here to get involved Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page Read more“Two negative cycles have been broken “We haven’t seen enough performances like that in recent weeks.” showed the years are finally catching up with him this was yet another disappointing display from Fabian Hürzeler’s side They now find themselves five points behind seventh-placed Newcastle having played two more games and there were widespread boos from the home supporters at the final whistle not mature enough and didn’t stick together,” reflected Hürzeler whose side have now failed to beat all three promoted clubs at home this season “I wouldn’t say that’s it but we shouldn’t talk about Europe if we play like this.” Brighton could not have asked for better opponents as they attempted to get their season back on track after four games without a win A dismal run of 15 defeats from Leicester’s previous 16 games has meant that any hopes of repeating their great escape of 2015 when they took 22 points from a possible 27 under Nigel Pearson after being bottom at Christmas have long since dissipated Mavididi’s early effort that was blocked by Carlos Baleba was greeted with ironic chants of “we’ve had a shot” from their long-suffering fans Luke Thomas gets to grips with Brighton’s Matt O’Riley Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty ImagesThey had a grandstand view behind Mads Hermansen’s goal as the hosts created a number of early chances but couldn’t find a breakthrough Mavididi should have made more of another early sight of goal after a mistake from Dunk and there was something comical about the way Leicester fell behind minutes later After an incisive move started by Baleba – who was filling in at centre-back in place of the suspended Jan Paul van Hecke – Pervis Estupiñán cut the ball back for Simon Adingra just inside the area His shot was heading in before Conor Coady instinctively stuck out a hand and his sheepish reaction said it all waved play on and it still needed a lengthy VAR check to award the penalty João Pedro stroked home with ease but Brighton’s joy was short-lived who has struggled with injuries in his 15th season with Brighton was at fault as he failed to control a pass and El Khannouss picked out Mavididi João Pedro should have restored Brighton’s lead just before half-time but the Brazilian dragged his shot wide with the goal gaping before Matt O’Riley saw his strike come back off the post then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.Was this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.Leicester again played a part in their own downfall at the start of the second half O’Riley had just forced a good save from Hermansen when he tried to connect with Adingra’s cross and was hauled back by Luke Thomas Bond allowed play to continue but was forced to reverse his decision for the second time of the afternoon as João Pedro repeated the trick from the spot O’Riley set up Yankuba Minteh for a golden opportunity to extend Brighton’s lead that once more went begging It almost proved costly when Mavididi played in the substitute Patson Daka around a statuesque Dunk but Verbruggen produced a strong save Brighton survived when Kasey McAteer headed just wide yet there was to be no reprieve when Okoli arrived at the back post to head home a free kick from El Khannouss and bring an end to Leicester’s miserable run This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Everton clinched a last-gasp win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground while Aston Villa comfortably beat Southampton and Leicester held Brighton to a 2-2 draw A huge match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund is about to kick off. 12 Apr 202518.27 CESTEd Aarons was at the Amex Stadium this afternoon for Brighton vs Leicester… A statement from Newcastle read: “The Magpies’ head coach was admitted to hospital late on Friday evening having felt unwell for a number of days. Everyone at Newcastle United extends their best wishes to Eddie for a speedy recovery, and further updates will follow in due course.” 12 Apr 202518.03 CESTSimon has emailed in with an update from the Scottish Premiership: “Late drama in Scotland as St. Mirren claim the final top six place with a late winner at home to Ross County, while Hearts could only draw at Motherwell. Dundee United held on to beat St. Johnstone, who remain bottom, 1-0.” 12 Apr 202517.55 CESTGOAL 90+5)Marco Asensio steps up to take his second penalty but it is saved again by Aaron Ramsdale Dwight McNeil steals the ball from Murillo on the halfway line and drives forward before threading his pass through to Doucouré who calmly fires his shot into the top corner 12 Apr 202517.51 CESTThere’s less than five minutes to play in most fixtures across the EFL and Premier League… 12 Apr 202517.49 CESTHuge chance for Leicester! Bilal El Khannouss hits the post! It’s still 2-2 at the Amex Stadium. 12 Apr 202517.47 CESTIt’s still goalless at the City Ground. Nothing splits Nottingham Forest and Everton as things stand. 12 Apr 202517.40 CESTGOAL Morgan Rogers receives the ball from Amadou Onana in midfield before turning and driving forward He plays the ball to Donyell Malen on his right who fires his shot across Ramsdale and into the bottom-left corner 74)Leicester are level through Caleb Okoli Bilal El Khannouss sends a free kick into the box and the defender runs in behind at the back post to head it home 73)The deadlock has finally been broken at St Mary’s And it’s super-sub Ollie Watkins with the goal Youri Tielemans sends a lofted pass over the Southampton defence to the striker Watkins then simply flicks his shot over Ramsdale on the volley to give his team the advantage 12 Apr 202517.29 CESTPENALTY SAVED Southampton 0-0 Aston VillaAaron Ramsdale saves a penalty from Marco Asensio Updated at 17.29 CEST12 Apr 202517.25 CESTThe deadlock has finally been broken at the Den with Camiel Neghli firing Millwall to a 1-0 lead. 12 Apr 202517.24 CESTWest Brom have extended their lead over Watford thanks to Mikey Johnston. 2-0 at the Hawthorns. 12 Apr 202517.22 CESTSwansea have just gone 1-0 up against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Ben Cabango with the goal. 12 Apr 202517.19 CESTBlackburn are down to 10 men. Kristi Montgomery receives his second yellow card. Luton have a one-man advantage now so they will be confident that they can get something from this. Updated at 17.23 CEST12 Apr 202517.17 CESTGOAL 55)João Pedro steps up to take the spot kick and converts sending Mads Hermansen the wrong way and firing the ball into the top-right corner 12 Apr 202517.15 CESTBlackburn have taken the lead against Luton. Yuki Ohashi breaks the deadlock and fires the visitors into a 1-0 advantage. 12 Apr 202517.12 CESTIt’s all happening at the Broadfield Stadium! Orient now lead thanks to another goal from Charlie Kelman! That’s two in two minutes. 12 Apr 202517.10 CESTWell… Crawley didn’t lead for long! Charlie Kelman levels things up for Leyton Orient. 12 Apr 202517.09 CESTWe’re now back under way across the leagues. Crawley have taken the lead against Leyton Orient thanks to a converted penalty from Junior Quitirna. 12 Apr 202517.06 CESTAn interesting Leicester stat for you – Stephy Mavididi’s goal was the club’s first in the Premier League since 26 January. It was also their first goal in 885 minutes. 12 Apr 202516.57 CESTWe have an update on what’s happening at the Cardiff City Stadium. The unwell fan is now being taken to hospital. Players are back on the pitch and will complete a five-minute warm-up before play resumes. 12 Apr 202516.54 CESTThanks Dominic! I can’t say it’s been too exciting across the Premier League and Championship. Hopefully some more goals to come in the second half. And with that, I’ll hand over to Emillia Hawkins, who will steer you through the second half of today’s clockwatch. Enjoy, Emillia! 12 Apr 202516.47 CESTRe: Scotland here’s the latest via Simon: As we approach HT it’s 1-0 United v St. Johnstone, Manny Adegboyega with the goal, and it’s as you were in the race for top six with the games at Motherwell and St. Mirren both level. 12 Apr 202516.45 CESTBristol Rovers are another team in trouble. And they’re tailing 2-0 to Exeter. The League One relegation battle is so crazy that it’s probably worth waiting for all today’s games to play out before we explain all the permutations. 12 Apr 202516.44 CESTA big equaliser for Stockport against Rotherham. A diamond of a goal you might say … it’s been scored by Jack Diamond. In League Two, Tranmere have gone 3-0 down to Accrington and could yet get pulled into the relegation mire. 12 Apr 202516.42 CESTCardiff v Stoke has been halted for the time being due to a medical emergency in the crowd. Let’s hope everyone is OK there. Medics are attending. 12 Apr 202516.39 CESTGOAL 38)Lewis Dunk gives the ball away cheaply and Leicester pounce through Stephy Mavididi The Foxes are level and that’s come out of nowhere The onus is on Forest to get things going forward. 12 Apr 202516.35 CESTTalking of obvious nicknames, it’s a surprise that the Villans aren’t yet ahead at Southampton. Stand-in Saints manager Simon Rusk has talked of wanting his team to “enjoy their work” as they look to avoid the ignominy of recording the Premier League’s lowest ever points tally. Villa have a glittering forward line including Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Morgan Rogers this afternoon but they haven’t fired yet. 12 Apr 202516.32 CESTIt hasn’t taken Bristol City long to hit back at QPR, via the highly-rated West Ham loanee George Earthy. The Robins have been the form side in the Championship of late and, with their playoff rivals failing to win as things stand, that’s a big goal. 12 Apr 202516.31 CESTGOAL! Brighton 1-0 Leicester (J.Pedro, 31)There it is. Brighton are ahead against lacklustre Leicester and it’s come via the penalty spot. João Pedro sends the keeper the wrong way. No idea why it took so long for VAR to rubber-stamp that decision, by the way. 540 CommentsIt has been 720 minutes since Leicester last scored at home in the Premier League With Monday's 3-0 defeat by Newcastle the Foxes became the first side in the top four tiers of English football to lose eight successive home league games without scoring Ruud van Nistelrooy's relegation-bound side have not found the back of the net at the King Power Stadium since 8 December - a 2-2 draw with Brighton "Nothing surprises me with this group and this manager and this football club at the minute," ex-Foxes winger Matt Piper told BBC Radio Leicester This is as bad as it's ever been and we are a club that has dropped down to League One football." Leicester have registered 82 shots on goal this term but have only accumulated an expected goals (xG) tally of 6.58 Leicester's possession was at a healthy 58% but that creative spark was missing once again with an xG of only 0.47 This from a side that have seen the tremendous highs of lifting the Premier League title travelled Europe in the Champions League and hoisted the FA Cup high at Wembley Stadium "This season they are not good enough "Then there is a manager that goes missing in the dugout There are major things wrong at this football club and it's been like this for some time There are so many things wrong and I really fear for this football club in the coming years." Leicester not good enough - Van Nistelrooy on 'difficult night' Leicester's current run of eight games without a goal at home equals that of Manchester City in May 2007 And with table-toppers Liverpool next to visit Van Nistelrooy is only the second manager in Premier League history to lose eight successive home games in the competition after Daniel Farke in September 2021 with Norwich City the lack of results we can produce," he told Sky Sports different players in different positions and the results are not there especially in the run of form we're in and that's for now what I can say." Foxes defender James Justin said players are struggling for confidence as the weeks pass by with how it's been and it makes us feel awful right at the moment," he said It's a horrible moment for the club with how we're playing on the pitch and trying to regain any confidence." Despite being on a winless run of nine games Leicester still have their Premier League status intact but Justin did not provide much hope when pressed on the topic "There is still a chance for us and we have to fight and claw for it but we aren't showing it on the pitch," he said Setting new records that nobody wants every week Fans feel disconnected from a mismanaged club that once had the opportunity to be a regular mid-table Premier League team Kev: It's a Groundhog [Day] Season for us I'm a season ticket holder and haven't seen them score in 2025 James: Just goes from bad to worse - the whole club needs a clear out Despair as to next season - the fans have lost faith in this bunch of players with the manager View comments | 540Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Newcastle are up to fifth with victory while Leicester have now failed to score in over 12 hours We knew that if we had a quick start and get an early goal that their fans could turn on them. [For my second goal] I don’t know why I followed it in but I did. The ball came back so quickly. I was thinking ‘do I take it first time or do I take a touch?’ Only took me about seven touches to get it under and stick it in. Champions League is hugely important for us. We had a taste last season. We have eight games to go now, no other distractions. One game can change it all. We have to keep the pressure on. 7 Apr 202523.04 CESTIt’s interesting that the stock of both Russell Martin (formerly of Southampton) and Steve Cooper (formerly of Leicester) seems to grow with each passing week. Both Saints and the Foxes were considerably better at the start of the season under those managers, both in terms of performance and results. 7 Apr 202523.02 CESTIt will be interesting to see if Leicester persevere with Van Nistelrooy the players are lacking in confidence and quality but it is Van Nistelrooy’s job to make them hard to beat tactically and I have rarely seen a poorer first-half home performance than Leicester’s ‘effort’ this evening 7 Apr 202522.54 CESTFull-time: Leicester City 0-3 Newcastle UnitedNewcastle are up to fifth with that victory 7 Apr 202522.53 CEST90+3 min: So nearly a second for Barnes and a fourth for Newcastle! Wilson and Barnes exchange passes, the latter getting on the end of a deflected cross, but the winger can’t quite steer his finish past Hermansen. 7 Apr 202522.51 CEST90+1 min: Leicester nearly score! Faes meets a corner at the near post, glancing his header just wide of Pope’s far post! That’s easily the closest that the Foxes have come! 7 Apr 202522.49 CEST90 min: Five minutes added on. 7 Apr 202522.49 CEST89 min: Barnes, now playing on the right for Newcastle with Osula on the left, skips around Thomas easily and dribbles to the byline. But the Newcastle winger’s cross is blocked and Leicester clear. 7 Apr 202522.47 CEST87 min: Newcastle make another change: Krafth for Trippier. 7 Apr 202522.47 CEST85 min: Jamie Vardy, who I’ve just seen was born Jamie Richard Gill, is out of contract this summer. Will the 38-year-old sign an extension for one final season in the Championship? 7 Apr 202522.44 CEST83 min: Tonali is fine, Newcastle fans will be pleased to know. 7 Apr 202522.42 CEST81 min: Mavididi catches Tonali on the ankle with a tackle, which is not deemed a foul. But the Italian is in some obvious discomfort and there are some nervy glances in the Newcastle dugout. They could do without losing their Italian midfield powerhouse to injury. 7 Apr 202522.37 CEST76 min: Monga is so young that he can’t have Leicester’s shirt sponsor (a gambling company) on his own shirt, because at 15, he is not old enough to place a bet. 7 Apr 202522.36 CEST74 min: More changes from both sides Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy come off for Callum Wilson and William Osula Now Leicester, and there is the biggest cheer of the night from the home fans as 15-year-old (and 271 days) Jeremy Monga comes on to become the second youngest ever player in the Premier League (after Ethan Nwaneri) “And to the tune of Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi: ‘I’m your biggest fan, your mam is from the streets of Birtley, Jacob Jacob Murphy’. 7 Apr 202522.29 CEST69 min: “It’s usually said that a team didn’t get out of second gear,” emails Newcastle fan Matthew Guite. “I think we’re stuck in first but still 3-0 up”. This has been a very pedestrian second half from both sides. Which suits Newcastle just fine. 7 Apr 202522.27 CEST67 min: A dreadful error from Hermansen as he tries to play out from the back. Instead Leicester keeper passes directly to Miley. Newcastle’s move breaks down, but Schar tries his luck from range, stinging Hermansen’s palms from 30 yards out. 7 Apr 202522.24 CEST64 min: A double Newcastle change in midfield: Joelinton and Guimaraes off for Miley and Longstaff. Two straight swaps. Very sensible, I’m just surprised that Isak also hasn’t been withdrawn for Wilson or Osula. 7 Apr 202522.22 CEST62 min: Trippier whips an excellent cross to the far post for Newcastle before Justin wins an excellent header, beating the onrushing Barnes to the ball. Good defending. 7 Apr 202522.21 CEST60 min: Livramento has such a funny running style. He is both on his toes and hunched over, like a Despicable Me character. But he’s very quick, and very good at football. So there’s that. 7 Apr 202522.18 CEST58 min: In the meantime, Leicester win a corner. Mavididi hasn’t had a lot of service on the left wing, but he has at least ran around, off the ball, with an urgency and energy that has been sorely lacking for Leicester. 7 Apr 202522.17 CEST56 min: Movement on the Newcastle bench. It does look like Howe is going to make some early-ish subs, as Newcastle look to keep things fresh for Sunday’s game against Manchester United. 7 Apr 202522.15 CEST54 min: Some concern for Guimaraes (and Eddie Howe) after the Brazilian is caught in the face with a stray arm/elbow. But Newcastle’s No 39 is going to be OK to continue. 7 Apr 202522.14 CEST52 min: “Murphy must be the most underrated player in the Premier League,” writes Darren. “He even admitted he was gutted the fans didn’t have a song for him.” I think he’s now famously underrated, which means that he’s not really underrated at all. In the ilk of Darren Fletcher, Danny Murphy, James Milner, Didi Hamann. Read moreSince 7 December, only Mo Salah and Isak have contributed more goals/assists in the Premier League than Murphy (seven goals, seven assists in that time). Updated at 23.11 CEST7 Apr 202522.09 CEST50 min: It is now 12 hours exactly since Leicester last scored. In that time they have had 52 shots and had an xG of 2.81, for those that like that sort of thing. 7 Apr 202522.04 CESTPeeeeeeeeeeeeep!We’re off again! Leicester have now conceded 21 goals since the last time they scored, nearly 12 hours ago. Van Nistelrooy has made a double change: Mavididi and Buonanotte on for Daka and Kristiansen. Leicester have reverted to a back four. 7 Apr 202521.51 CESTHalf-time reading: 7 Apr 202521.48 CEST45 min: Two minutes added on here. 7 Apr 202521.48 CEST43 min: “At this point in Leicester’s mind-bogglingly barren goalless streak, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ruud Van Nistelrooy subbed himself in,” writes Peter Oh. I tell you who he shouldn’t sub in: 15-year-old Jeremy Monga. I reckon this is just about the worst way to blood in a youngster. Jeremy Monga would be at the top of any list Other clubs may be interested in acquiring certain players from the relegation-bound Foxes side In terms of someone who all Leicester City fans will hope remains at the club for a long time to come The prospect of potentially losing the 15-year-old would take away one of the few bright spots of the club from this past season. The interest is understandable. Since making his Premier League debut, he saw an increased run against Southampton during City's 2-0 win The teenager showed an ability to be physical and confident on the ball as well as a willingness to go forward and play within a senior-level side Unfortunately for LCFC supporters, everyone else can see the talent of the young attacking player. In an exclusive to Sportsboom, the media outlet confirms the high interest of Chelsea in Monga It's typical for clubs throughout all of their sides to constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve their roster The interest itself is understandable enough It does appear that Enzo Maresca would like to take the promising talent from the East Midlands and have Monga follow him to London City's current form could end up being the main reason why Monga sticks with the Foxes he'd be able to play in the first team at a club he'd get continued run and training with the LCFC first team Taking on defenders in the Championship will be more of a showcase for the teenager compared to being another player in the academy system with the Blues In a clip that has falsely attributed Monga to declaring that he will definitely stay at City, a part of that TikTok Live does provide something of an insight. During that conversation So far under Ruud van Nistelrooy, he has been lined up on the outside. If his goal is to be more of a central attacking midfielder, this too would come easier and sooner at LCFC. Particularly with the potential departures from the club which will still be one of the better Championship sides in England Monga could carve a nice role for himself at King Power Stadium for the foreseeable future ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"5i","src":"5j","url":"5k"},{"type":"5h","value":"5l"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"5o","url":"5p"},{"type":"5n","value":"5q"},"All Rights Reserved ",{"type":"3y","value":"8p"},{"type":"3y","value":"8i"},"image",800,{"x":"8t","y":"8t"},"Gabriel S The prospect of potentially losing the 15-year-old would take away one of the few bright spots of the club from this past season. The interest is understandable. Since making his Premier League debut, he saw an increased run against Southampton during City's 2-0 win Unfortunately for LCFC supporters, everyone else can see the talent of the young attacking player. In an exclusive to Sportsboom, the media outlet confirms the high interest of Chelsea in Monga In a clip that has falsely attributed Monga to declaring that he will definitely stay at City, a part of that TikTok Live does provide something of an insight. During that conversation So far under Ruud van Nistelrooy, he has been lined up on the outside. If his goal is to be more of a central attacking midfielder, this too would come easier and sooner at LCFC. Particularly with the potential departures from the club