'Mountains are there to be climbed', says Van Nistelrooy on Leicester's survival hopes

Van Nistelrooy watched on as the Foxes were thrashed by Brentford 4-0 in their last top-flight encounter at the King Power Stadium, as their struggles at home continued.

Indeed, it was Leicester's sixth consecutive home defeat without scoring in the Premier League, the longest ever run of home losses without a goal by any side within a single season in English top-flight history.

The result left them 19th in the table, five points adrift of safety, with a trip to London Stadium to take on a buoyed West Ham United following their win at title chasers Arsenal up next.

"To go through all the challenges I've faced and compare them now," Van Nistelrooy said.

"I called it a mountain to climb, but life is about climbing mountains and mountains are there to be climbed. That challenge I take.

"We sometimes slip on the mountain, but we get up and start again."

The Dutchman was also asked about whether he would stay with the club should they drop to the Championship at the end of the season, and his message was clear.

"I know what contract I signed, and it hasn't been a contract for five months, it was two more seasons after that," Van Nistelrooy said.

"I was aware when I arrived what the challenge was and how difficult it could be. I was aware and committed to the future."

Back in action on Thursday #WHULEI pic.twitter.com/3ni3Bb7ONs

— Leicester City (@LCFC) February 24, 2025

Graham Potter is a man that knows all too well the pressures of managing in the Premier League, having taken charge of Brighton and Chelsea in recent years.

His spell with the Blues lasted just 206 days, winning 12 of his 31 games in charge in all competitions (D8 L11) before being sacked by the club in April 2023 after a poor run of results.

Potter oversaw a reported £323million outlay on new players during the January transfer window at Chelsea, stating that there is a relationship between reality and the expectation of managing in the top-flight, and that he relates with Van Nistelrooy's situation at Leicester.

"I have been in the game 30 years, so we know how it is," Potter said.

"It's a combination of results in the short term to give you opportunity to do something in the medium to long term. If you don't get those, it can be a challenge.

"There is always a relationship between reality and expectation. Everybody has to fight that. All the jobs, mine, Ruud's, are complicated for different reasons.

"I have enough to worry about, so I have to focus on myself and how challenging this job is. But at the same time, it is a fantastic club I am working for.

"I am excited about it, and I am sure that is the same for Ruud."

After becoming only the second West Ham player to score 50 goals in the Premier League with his strike against Arsenal last time out, Bowen will be keen to continue his goal-scoring form.

Across his seven appearances against the Foxes, Bowen has five goal involvements (three goals, two assists), only managing more in the Premier League against Arsenal, Newcastle United (both six) and Wolves (seven).

pic.twitter.com/V1LYX1QCjY

— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 22, 2025

In a disappointing season for Leicester, Vardy has continued to prove that age is just a number, grabbing seven goals and three assists for Leicester so far this campaign.

He has netted four times in 16 appearances against West Ham in the Premier League, with his last strike coming against the Hammers in their 3-1 win earlier in the campaign, notching the first goal of the Van Nistelrooy era at the King Power Stadium.

West Ham have lost just one of their last 14 Premier League games against promoted sides (W11 D2), though it was against Leicester in the reverse fixture in December. At home, they've won eight of their last nine against promoted teams in the league (D1) since a 2-1 loss to Brentford in October 2021.

Following their 1-0 win against Arsenal last time out, West Ham are looking to win consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2024, while they last did so without conceding in December 2023 (three).

But the Hammers have lost their last two Premier League home games under Potter, having already lost three in a row at London Stadium under Julen Lopetegui earlier this term. They have never had two separate runs of three or more consecutive home defeats in the same league season before.

Leicester, meanwhile, have lost 10 of their last 11 Premier League games (W1), including each of their last three by an aggregate score of 10-0. The Foxes haven't lost more successive league matches while also failing to score in each since a run of five from January to February 2017.

The Foxes are also the only side without an away clean sheet in the Premier League so far this season, conceding 32 goals across their 12 games on the road this term.

However, they have won each of their last three Premier League games against West Ham, more than they had in their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D4 L4).

West Ham - 56.4%

Draw - 22.4%