Leicester vs West Ham Report

Scorers: Vardy 2’, El Khannouss 61’, Daka 90’; Fullkrug 90+3’

Ruud van Nistelrooy marked his Premier League managerial debut with a commanding 3-1 win for Leicester City against West Ham United at the King Power Stadium. Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannous, and Patson Daka were on target as the Foxes secured three crucial points.

Vardy Makes History with Early Strike

Leicester’s decision to appoint Ruud van Nistelrooy as manager paid immediate dividends, as his side scored within two minutes of his first Premier League match in charge.

Jamie Vardy, the epitome of Leicester’s Premier League pedigree, calmly finished past Łukasz Fabiański after being played in by Bilal El Khannouss.

The goal was historic for two reasons: van Nistelrooy became the third Premier League manager to see his side score within two minutes of their first game, and Vardy set a record by scoring the opening goal under a sixth different Leicester manager.

Vardy nearly doubled his tally soon after, but Fabiański denied him from close range. Despite a resolute first-half performance by Leicester, West Ham had their chances, with Danny Ings’ header deflected onto the post by Kasey McAteer and Mads Hermansen making two crucial saves to deny Jarrod Bowen.

Leicester Double Their Lead After VAR Drama

The second half began with West Ham on the front foot, with Tomáš Souček firing over and Hermansen tipping over a deflected effort from Mohamed Kudus.

The Hammers thought they had equalised when Hermansen’s mishandled punch resulted in the ball landing in the net, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the Leicester goalkeeper by Souček.

Moments later, Leicester capitalised on their reprieve. McAteer burst down the wing and set up Bilal El Khannous, who netted his first Premier League goal with a composed first-time finish that left Fabiański helpless. The goal further cemented Leicester’s control over the match.

Daka Seals Victory, Füllkrug Nets Consolation for West Ham

Wilfried Ndidi nearly added a third for the Foxes, but Fabiański made a brilliant save to deny him from close range.

Leicester’s dominance paid off in the 90th minute when Patson Daka hammered the ball into the roof of the net, sealing the victory.

Niclas Füllkrug managed a late consolation goal for West Ham, but it was too little, too late for Julen Lopetegui’s side.

Lopetegui Under Pressure as Leicester Climb the Table

West Ham’s struggles under Julen Lopetegui continued, with just one win in their last five Premier League matches leaving them only six points above the relegation zone. The mounting pressure could lead to managerial changes at the London club.

For Leicester, the win ends a seven-game winless streak across all competitions and narrows the gap between the two sides to just two points.

Van Nistelrooy’s managerial reign is off to a promising start, giving the Foxes a much-needed boost in their fight for Premier League survival.

Conclusion: Leicester Rejuvenated Under Van Nistelrooy

Leicester’s 3-1 victory over West Ham highlighted their newfound energy under Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Jamie Vardy’s early strike set the tone, while Bilal El Khannous and Patson Daka added to the Foxes’ tally. For West Ham, it’s back to the drawing board as pressure mounts on Lopetegui to turn their season around.

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Leicester v West Ham, 2024/25 | Premier League