As one era begins, so another may have edged a little closer to its conclusion.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game as Leicester boss produced a stirring win as his side enjoyed the sort of luck that deserted West Ham coach Julen Lopetegui when he needed it most. West Ham fans chanted ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ in the closing stages.
Nine years ago, Jamie Vardy scored in 11 consecutive matches to break the Premier League record that Van Nistelrooy had held. This match was only 98 seconds old when Leicester’s extraordinary talisman put his team ahead, and Bilal El Khannouss doubled their advantage early in the second half.
In between those moments, only West Ham will know how they did not score. Just before the second, they had a goal controversially ruled out for a foul of Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who so often kept his team in it. To add insult to injury, substitute Patson Daka made it three with time ticking away and West Ham sub Niclas Fullkrug’s stoppage-time header was too little, too late.
While the visiting fans voiced their anger, the under-pressure Lopetegui stood on the touchline, wondering how many more times he would do so in charge of West Ham. There has been little to show for the heavy spending that followed Lopetegui’s arrival in the summer and he may now be on borrowed time.
Having frustrated fans all season with his inconsistent displays, Lucas Paqueta was left out of the starting XI by Lopetegui, who has been asked regularly about his future in recent weeks. Paqueta was one of five players to be axed after the Hammers were thrashed at home by Arsenal.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester reign got off to the perfect start as they beat West Ham 3-1
The result may have pushed Julen Lopetegui closer to the exit door at West Ham
Jamie Vardy got the ball rolling as Leicester took the lead inside the opening two minutes
At least Van Nistelrooy will not have to handle such questions for a while. The Dutchman made it clear he will take no nonsense from this restless Foxes squad and here he was as good as he word, leaving Wout Faes out of the line-up for the first time since October 2022.
Van Nistelrooy has replaced Steve Cooper, whose reign was doomed from the start amid player dissatisfaction over tactics and management style. The former Nottingham Forest boss was not even mentioned by owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha in his column in the programme. Time to look ahead.
Yet while Leicester looked a little more fluent going forward under Van Nistelrooy, it will take more than a change in the dugout to fix the defensive problems that have hobbled them all season. The home side conceded a remarkable 20 shots before the break.
West Ham were 5-2 down at half-time against Arsenal last Saturday and should probably have been leading by that margin at the interval here, even though Van Nistelrooy could not have dreamed of a better start.
El Khannouss found Vardy haring through the middle and his finish was perfect, though initially disallowed for offside. As the players waited for the VAR verdict, the West Ham fans taunted Vardy with a chant about his family. Sure enough, Vardy returned the compliment when the goal was given as he raced towards the travelling supporters, flapping his arms in the manner of a cockerel.
The 37-year-old set up Victor Kristiansen soon afterwards for an effort that was pushed yet thereafter, the first half was largely West Ham against Mads Hermansen.
The Dane was superlative before the break. He turned an effort from Jarrod Bowen around the post before clawing away a header from Danny Ings. Not long afterwards, Bowen was through once more, only to be thwarted by Hermansen again.
Hammers fans thought their team had equalised when Tomas Soucek’s header from a cross by Mohammed Kudus – back in the side after a five-match ban – rippled the net. Lopetegui thought it was in, too – though how the Leicester fans jeered when he realised the ball had hit the side netting.
Leicester were all over the place defending their left side, as Bowen and Vladimir Coufal tore into them. Bowen steered a perfect cross to the far post but nobody was there for the tap-in.
West Ham finally found the net but the goal was ruled out for a foul by Tomas Soucek on Mads Hermansen
West Ham’s players were furious with the goal being disallowed and crowded the referee
Bilal El Khannous doubled Leicester’s lead just a minute after West Ham’s goal was ruled out
The visitors were nearly made to pay when Facundo Buonanotte released Kasey McAteer. With Vardy waiting, McAteer was indecisive and Lukasz Fabianski saved with his shin.
It was a brief change to the pattern on the opening 45 minutes. Hermansen produced his best stop, an instinctive left hand to stop Bowen steering in Edson Alvarez’s pass. From the corner, Carlos Soler volleyed just wide and in first-half stoppage time, Hermansen’s luck was in when he failed to claim a high ball but Lopetegui’s men could not take advantage.
Lopetegui had hauled off the ineffective Ings and sent on Crysencio Summerville, with Bowen now through the middle. The West Ham captain was just as dangerous there and he created another good chance for Soucek, who squandered it. It was not long before Hermansen was back in action as he tipped over Kudus’ effort that took a deflection and was looping under the bar.
And when West Ham finally had the ball in the net thanks to Hermansen punching fresh air, the goal was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper by Soucek.
Vardy was brought off on the hour mark and was greeted by a big hug from Van Nistelrooy. The pair would soon be celebrating with even more gusto when Leicester doubled their lead.
Patson Daka put the result beyond doubt when he fired home a late third goal for the hosts
Niclas Fullkrug pulled a goal back in stoppage time but it was too little too late for West Ham
Buonanotte sent McAteer scurrying through and El Khannouss drifted into space on the edge of the box to guide home the low cross. El Khannouss then produced a delicious cross that was met by the head of Wilfred Ndidi and drew a stunning stop from Fabianski.
At the other end, Leicester somehow preserved their two-goal lead. Summerville sneaked ahead of Justin to prod Bowen’s cut-back beyond Hermansen but there was Conor Coady to poke it off the line.
By now the Hammers were venting their fury at Lopetegui and VAR’s decision to disallow Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s third was no consolation. Sure enough, fellow substitute Patson Daka made it three soon afterwards and Fullkrug’s headed goal could not alter Lopetegui’s miserable night.
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