Back Goals Under Ruud Van Nistelrooy: Leicester's Betting Trends Continue

Leicester City’s decision to sack Steve Cooper raised eyebrows, but with the Foxes sitting 16th in the Premier League and just two points clear of the relegation zone, the board felt compelled to act. Rumours of a rift between the players and the manager gained traction, especially after the now-infamous “Enzo, I miss you” photo from the squad.

The Foxes have turned to Premier League legend Ruud Van Nistelrooy as their new manager. The former striker recently bolstered his reputation during a successful stint as interim boss at Manchester United, where he twice defeated Leicester. Now, Van Nistelrooy faces the challenge of pulling Leicester out of danger and reviving their campaign.

Underlying Issues at Leicester

Despite their struggles, Leicester have shown glimpses of attacking potential. They’ve scored in 11 of their 12 league games this season and averaged 2.71 goals per game in competitive home fixtures. However, defensive frailties remain glaring.

Going into matchday 13, Leicester were the fourth-biggest xG overperformers, netting 15 goals from an xG of 12.37. More worryingly, they had the third-worst xGA in the league (23.3), trailing only Southampton and Ipswich. Under Cooper, the Foxes fell behind in 49.4% of their matches, significantly worse than the league average of 26.5%.

Van Nistelrooy’s Managerial Promise

Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s managerial CV is still developing, but there’s plenty for Leicester fans to be optimistic about. He guided PSV Eindhoven to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie, lifted the Dutch Cup after beating Ajax, and earned European victories over Arsenal and Monaco.

At Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy steadied the ship during his brief tenure, implementing a more controlled, less frantic style of play. This tactical acumen will be key to addressing Leicester’s defensive issues.

Betting Insights: Goals Still Appeal

Leicester’s home form highlights a clear betting trend: goals. Both teams have scored in five of their six home matches, and Van Nistelrooy’s limited time to prepare before facing West Ham suggests defensive frailties may persist. Backing both teams to score (BTTS) remains a compelling option, with the Foxes likely to lean on their attacking output as they adapt to a new managerial era.

Leicester’s rollercoaster season continues, but under Van Nistelrooy, goals will likely remain at the heart of the action.

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

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