Ruud van Nistelrooy says Leicester City have to "accept" the anger of the fans after falling to a seventh consecutive Premier League defeat on Saturday.
The Foxes were beaten 2-0 by a dominant Fulham at the King Power Stadium thanks to goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore.
It is only the fourth time Leicester have lost seven consecutive league games in their history, also doing so in April 2001 (a run of eight), September 1990 and January 1932.
Meanwhile, they have failed to score in four consecutive home league games for the first time since September 1983 (a run of five) while they have drawn a blank in five of their nine Premier League games under Van Nistelrooy, after doing so in just one of their first 13 matches of the season under Steve Cooper/Ben Dawson.
Leicester managed just eight shots in the game, worth 0.47 expected goals, compared to Fulham's 17 (2.19 xG). However, while the hosts had four shots on target, the Cottagers only had two, scoring with both.
Van Nistelrooy, who won and drew his first two matches after replacing Steve Cooper in November, understood the fans' frustration.
"You have to accept it, and I am," said Van Nistelrooy. "I'm making substitutions to impact the game. It can be in different areas; physical, profile of a player, the opposition.
"When it's not received well, for once now, then I'll take that one. Because the crowd boo one substitution of me, it doesn't mean I have to explain all the reasons behind the substitution.
"It's not for the public to know. It's respect to the players who come on. They are valuable members of the squad and deserve minutes to help this team as well. It's not about one person in this team and in this squad. That, for me, is very clear."
Frustrating afternoon.#LEIFUL pic.twitter.com/VSNabGqLw5
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 18, 2025
Leicester currently sit 19th in the table with four points, though they are just two points below 17th-place Wolves, who do not play until Monday when they visit Chelsea.
In the Premier League, Leicester have scored just seven goals under Van Nistelrooy (they netted just one less in their 6-2 FA Cup third-round win over QPR).
"[It] was extremely disappointing because it wasn't good enough in all aspects of the game," Van Nistelrooy said.
"I saw more [in the 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace on] Wednesday than today. Of course, results hurt and are disappointing, but there was a lot more [on Saturday] because we lacked in too many areas that influence on winning a football match.
"We have to deal with it. We cannot change it. We have to face it. Don't feel sorry for anybody. We are professionals, and we have to deal with it.
"We have to make sure that we perform, so the crowd is up and supportive. That's our task."
Leicester travel to Tottenham next in the Premier League.