Leicester City’s incredible survival story in 2015 remains one of the most memorable moments in Premier League history. That season, they were at the bottom of the table for the majority of the campaign before a remarkable resurgence, winning seven of their final nine matches to avoid the drop.
This time, however, the chances of such a miraculous turnaround appear much slimmer. Although their current predicament is not as dire as it was back then, Leicester’s form suggests that a sustained winning streak is highly improbable. Their latest defeat – a 2-0 loss to West Ham – has left them five points from safety, and their struggles to pick up victories have raised serious concerns about their ability to stay up.
Following the loss, manager Ruud van Nistelrooy remained defiant, stating, “We are going to get up again. We are still in this fight, mathematically we are there and we keep fighting as long as we can.” However, he admitted that their performance was not good enough, saying, “It must be clear that the fight was only one half today and that is not enough.”
Troubling statistics and lack of goals
Leicester’s decision to part ways with Steve Cooper in November after just 12 league matches was meant to spark a revival. However, the managerial change has not had the desired effect, and the numbers tell a worrying story:
The Foxes have been defeated in 11 of their past 12 league fixtures, managing just one victory.
Under Van Nistelrooy, Leicester have collected only seven points in 14 matches – three fewer than the 10 Cooper secured in 12 games.
No team has put the ball into their own net more than Leicester this season, with three own-goals (tied with West Ham and Wolves).
Their attacking woes are evident, having failed to find the net in their last four matches. The last time they endured a longer goalless streak was in early 2017 when they went six games without scoring.
Van Nistelrooy acknowledged their lack of attacking threat, admitting, “If you play like this in the first half you are not going to score. We were not even close to scoring.” However, he saw some improvement after the break, adding, “In the second half we were much closer to score. At least you give yourself an opportunity.”
Is there any hope for survival?
Despite their struggles, Leicester do have one advantage on their side-time. With 11 matches remaining and 33 points still available, their five-point gap from safety is not insurmountable.
That being said, their upcoming schedule is daunting. Their next four matches include away trips to Chelsea and Manchester City, along with difficult home games against Manchester United and Newcastle. If they are to have any chance of survival, they need to start picking up results soon.
Defender Wout Faes remains optimistic, urging his teammates to focus on one game at a time. “Of course, there has to be belief,” he said. “Weekend after weekend the games count down. I don’t think we have to think too much about going forward. We just have to think game by game, and we have to start winning very soon because the games are counting down.”
However, some observers have already written them off. Former Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon expressed his concerns on TNT Sports, stating, “It is really hard to make a case for them on what we have seen. West Ham didn’t have to be anywhere near their best to win the game comfortably. There was zero quality, zero belief, and the game just seemed to pass them by.”
Former Chelsea forward Joe Cole shared a similarly bleak assessment, saying, “I think they are gone. I think them and Southampton are gone. How do you get these players to show some kind of spark from now to the end of the season?”
With time running out and form showing little sign of improvement, Leicester face an uphill battle to secure their Premier League status. Their performances in the coming weeks will determine whether they can defy the odds once again – or if their fate is already sealed.
