And here’s our match report from the King Power as Brentford power away Ruud’s boys, a rip-roaring display from the Bees to sting a very lax looking Leicester. Goodnight.
Mbeumo and Wissa are doing the post-match chat with Sky Sports.
“It’s a performance we need to be proud of,” chirps Wissa. “I know they’re not in top shape and we are. We wanted to control the game and of course bring the three points home.
“It’s the friendship, we get on really well on and off the pitch,” says Mbeuno on his superb understanding with Wissa. “I think we have a really good group.”
Wissa says Mikkel Damsgaard is the “link”, the “magician of the team".
Signed, sealed, delivered.
Fabio Carvalho seals the victory for the Bees ✨ pic.twitter.com/GKsOmCV2nu
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 21, 2025
Six games. 15 goals conceded. None scored. Leicester’s recent home record is an absolute horror show.
Van Nistelrooy cuts a forlorn figure as he trudges onto the pitch for the post-match handshakes.
FT: Leicester 0-4 Brentford
Another humiliating night for Ruud van Nistelrooy and Leicester comes to a close amid a cacophony of boos at the King Power Stadium. It’s been hard to watch for those home fans.
The Foxes have suffered their sixth successive home defeat – a Premier League record – while Brentford have claimed a fourth away victory on the trot. To think the Bees were considered home specialists earlier in the season.
It’s been a very easy evening for the likes of Mikkel Damsgaard, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, who have all impressed for Thomas Frank’s side. They’ve taken no prisoners and deserve the three points.
Updated
Three minutes of added time. Brentford are searching for a fifth.
GOAL! Leicester 0-4 Brentford (Carvalho, 89)
Belatedly, the fourth goal arrives, amid another mess in the Leicester box. Fabio Carvalho gets in on the act.
Mbeumo made it with another surging run down the right, the home side failed to clear (again) and Carvalho was on hand to tuck it home.
Updated
87 mins: Buonanotte earns a ripple of (ironic?) applause with a sharp shot that whizzes just wide of Flekken’s net. “We’ve had a shot!” sing the Leicester faithful.
Brentford make their final substitution, Kevin Schade replaced by Yunus Emre Konak.
The stands are emptying rapidly, though mercifully for the home fans the rain has become a fair bit lighter.
85 mins: After this, Brentford will spring up above Brighton and into the top half, and will be 20 points better off than Leicester. They’ll be eight points above Manchester United.
84 mins: Conor Coady comes on for Okoli, who has endured a thoroughly miserable evening and looks to have ended it by picking up an injury.
Brentford new boy Michael Kayode is on.
82 mins: My emails have dried up in this second half. Not even a torrent of Ben Affleck-Leicester puns can save us now.
It’s just not been an even contest.
81 mins: Leicester are actually enjoying their best phase of the game. Still it’s not producing many clearcut chances.
79 mins: Leicester want a penalty for a perceived Yarmolyuk handball, but those appeals are very optimistic.
They do have a free-kick, though, which is batted out of trouble by the resolute Brentford defence. The visitors are hungry for a clean sheet.
78 mins: Ndidi is replaced by Oliver Skipp. How do you go from being a Spurs mainstay to not getting in this Leicester side?
77 mins: Wissa ignores Mbeumo, who was lurking in acres of space in the Leicester box, and is eventually shut out. If he’d have passed, it would’ve been 4-0.
74 mins: Leicester have just lacked fight and guile tonight. And in contrast, Brentford look every inch the savvy Premier League side.
The home side continue to huff and puff going forward.
72 mins: Wissa teases one just across the face of goal after bulling his way through two Leicester challenges. That fourth goal looks forthcoming.
Damsgaard is applauded off as Frank rings the changes for Brentford. Janelt is also replaced, with Fabio Carvalho and Maghoma on.
71 min: It’s now teeming down with rain in Leciester.
If I was a Foxes fan, I’d be leaving sharpish to salvage something from my Friday night.
69 mins: Good save from Hermansen to deny the Bees another! It looked for all money like Yarmoliuk would head in a fourth before the Leicester keeper produced a strong right hand.
Updated
67 mins: Remember when Wilfred Ndidi was anchoring the midfield of a Leicester side challenging for the Champions League spots? That seems a long ol’ time ago now.
Some of the Leicester players are starting to argue among themselves. The ones that aren’t are arguing with the referee. Buonanotte is booked for arguing with the Brentford players.
64 mins: Buonanotte has made a positive difference at least for Leicester. It begs the question as to why he didn’t start?
62 mins: Buonanotte speeds forward down the middle and looks to feed Vardy, who goes over amid halfhearted appeals for a penalty.
Leicester, though, seem unable to stop Brentford streaming forward at will and gaining huge yardages of territory each time. The hosts’ press is non-existent.
60 mins: There’s half an hour left in this contest – easily enough time to score three goals if you have a coherent plan of attack. But it’s a task that looks way beyond Van Nistelrooy’s lacklustre Leicester.
More Affleck puns courtesy of Justin Kavanagh:
Those ‘Enjoy the Taste of Vietnam’ ads on the digital hoardings are making me hungry. Meanwhile, on the pitch it’s still Apocalypse Now for poor Leicester. The Horror! The Horror!
58 mins: Damsgaard drifts beyond Okoli like he’s not even there and wins Brentford yet another corner. The Dane has been a delight to watch this evening.
It’s worked short with Wissa found unmarked at the back post … although this time he gets his feet in a tangle and missed the ball completely.
56 mins: Big cheers from the home fans greet the decision to replace Jordan Ayew with Buonanotte.
Interesting.
55 mins: Facundo Buonanotte is being readied on the touchline by Van Nistelrooy. How is he not getting into this Leicester side? He’s a real talent, he showed as much at Brighton.
54 mins: “We want four, we want four” chant the Brentford fans.
Yep, 0-4 looks more likely than 1-3 at the moment.
51 mins: Vardy aims a cute back-header at the far post, flicking on Mavididi’s cross. It was only just wide, but he was in an offside position.
49 mins: I take it back, the intent and intensity from Leicester lasted all of two minutes. There’s a flatness about the whole game at the moment. Brentford already know they’ve won, surely.
47 mins: Okoli to right-back, then, as Kristiansen aims in a couple of half decent crosses from the Leicester left. They are at least starting the second half with some intent.
Second half: It’s a double change down the right from Van Nistelrooy. Vestergaard and Mavididi replace Coulibaly and Decordova-Reid.
Nørgaard cannot continue for Brentford. Yegor Yarmolyuk is on.
It really is going to be fascinating to see how many changes Van Nistelrooy makes at half-time. And indeed how many Leicester fans return to their seats for the second half.
It’s crazy to think the Foxes could still be just two points off safety come the end of the weekend if Wolves and Ipswich lose. They feel a million miles off Premier League standard at the moment.
Goals 1, 2 and 3 (for UK viewers/readers only):
The Mikkel Damsgaard assist, to the finish from Yoane Wissa! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/DCBwdlBs3P
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 21, 2025
Bryan Mbeumo that is STUNNING! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dUC2zpMyOu
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 21, 2025
The goals keep coming for Brentford! 🔥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 21, 2025
Christian Norgaard connects with a free kick from Bryan Mbeumo 👊 pic.twitter.com/RBIjjmYdMW
Back to your emails …
Gary J. Byrne: “Considering Leicester are losing 3-0 [at] half-time, the Sum of All Fears must ultimately be relegation from the Premier League.”
Justin Kavanagh: “Say what you like about the Dutchman, but Van Nistelrooy is great for football. Wherever he goes, goals are sure to follow.”
HT: Leicester 0-3 Brentford
Ruud van Nistelrooy must be cursing the fact he can only make a maximum of five half-time substitutes. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that home dressing room.
Leicester have been dreadful, Brentford have been clean and clinical. Who knows what’s to come in the second half. Three or four Leicester goals seems very unlikely.
Updated
45 mins + 3: Goodness me, is that a fourth? It’s an absolute mess and ends up in the net – but it comes off Lewis-Potter’s arm.
Leicester are extremely lucky it did so, as Wout Faes made an utter Horlicks of that defensive situation.
Added time: Into four minutes of it at the end of a listless Leicester first half.
Brentford are threatening a fourth – they’ve just struck the post via Schade’s header!
43 mins: Nørgaard doesn’t look in a great way, actually, he’s certainly a bit groggy but will soldier on.
Plenty of Van Nistelrooy chat is now filling up my inbox. I’ll get to those emails during the break. The words ‘Steve Cooper’ are trending on X …
42 min: Coulibaly leaves an arm in on Nørgaard and he might be in a spot of bother for that … looks like it’ll only be a yellow.
This has been the most hapless first-half performance I can remember from a Premier League team for some time.
Updated
40 mins: Leicester’s passing is actually getting worse. Already the cheers for every Brentford pass can be heard from their away support. An enjoyable away night for them so far.
38 mins: Mbeumo and Damsgaard have just been on a different planet to the Leicester players performance-wise tonight. Wissa hasn’t been bad, either, though he’s just skied a finish over the bar after a raking Lewis-Potter pass.
Yep. This.
In a parallel universe Ruud stays at Man Utd and they ride the vibes for the rest of the season
— James McManus (@JamesMcManus1) February 21, 2025
They agree to appoint Amorim in the summer with a full pre-season and summer transfer window behind him
Leicester keep Steve Cooper and stay up
As this hasn't worked for anyone yet
34 mins: The groans and grumbles of discontent are everywhere around the King Power Stadium right now – it’s a seriously unhappy place.
Is there any way Van Nistelrooy can rescue this situation? Is his job in jeopardy if the Brentford goals keep coming?
Some Leicester fans are making for the exits. Oh my.
Updated
GOAL! Leicester 0-3 Brentford (Nørgaard, 32)
Keane Lewis-Potter is getting the better of Decordova-Reid, who already has a yellow card to his name and fouls the Brentford man to gift a free-kick to the visitors.
Mbeumo again whips it into the mixer and it’s nodded home by Nørgaard! He wasn’t closely marked and had a fairly simple task to head it past Hermansen.
Updated
30 mins: The boos have started from sections of the Leicester support. Van Nistelrooy has a face like thunder. He’s gone way beyond Ben Affleck now.
This could get ugly if the home side aren’t careful. Hermansen parries away an Mbeumo cross.
28 mins: It’s not as if Leicester haven’t created chances. They have actually looked decent – if a bit blunt – in the final third.
They are incredibly open, however, in midfield, with little protection for the back four.
GOAL! Leicester 0-2 Brentford (Mbeumo, 27)
Bang, bang, Bryan Mbeumo!
Damsgaard is again the puppet-master, pulling the strings, but Leicester simply sat off and off and off and it’s lovely stuff from Mbeumo to cut in and wallop it home with a powerful left-footed hit. Too easy again.
Updated
25 mins: My emails are still packed with Affleck puns.
Turns out, plenty of players have been relegated more than three times. Hermann Hreidarsson and Nathan Blake (five apiece) hold the record.
24 mins: Coulibaly hasn’t looked shy of making an impact, but his latest effort is wild and way over the Brentford crossbar.
22 mins: Decordova-Reid was relegated from the Premier League with Cardiff, relegated from the Premier League with Fulham and now …
Could he reach an unwanted trio? Has anyone ever done that before? Answers on a postcard please.
21 mins: The difference between these two teams so far is one appears to have a very clear plan and the other … doesn’t.
Brentford stream forward again and Wissa tricks past Okoli to win a free-kick in a decent spot.
19 mins: Leicester try to respond immediately through Vardy, who has looked lively to be fair. His shot forces a corner.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Brentford (Wissa, 17)
All too easy for Yoane Wissa!
It’s sloppy in midfield from Leicester and a messy phase of play ends with Damsgaard popping a great ball through the heart of the hosts’ defence … Wissa is quickest to react, stabbing the ball home.
Updated
16 mins: There’s so much space in midfield for both sides – yet neither have found any sort of precision in the final third as yet.
Faes whooshes a loose pass straight out for a Brentford goal-kick.
Alex gets in touch:
Been trying to make a Leicester City Ben Affleck film pun, which has distracted me for the first 10 minutes of the game.
Best I can do is: Craig Shakespeare in Love. Sorry.
14 mins: Damsgaard plays a delightful dink over the top for the on-running Wissa, who goes down under minimal pressure. Leicester’s defence looks paper-thin at the moment.
12 mins: El Khannouss has looked to dictate play for the Foxes early on. Brentford don’t really shaken by this early onslaught from the home side, though, they’re still a threat whenever they go forward.
“As a Leicester fan, scoring a goal at home would be a good start,” says Graham Randall on email. “Beginning to think we might go straight back down.”
The State of Play is certainly worrying for Affleck’s Van Nistelrooy’s side.
9 mins: Tell you what, the broadcasters have just shown a replay of a dicey looking challenge from Coulibaly on Kevin Schade. VAR have given it a look but decided not to intervene … hmm, it could easily have been a penalty. He didn’t get much of the ball.
7 mins: For what it’s worth, I really liked Argo …
Leicester are still attacking, Coulibaly linking up well with Decordova-Reid down the hosts’ right flank.
6 mins: My email inbox is now full of Ben Affleck chat. Not something I could have foreseen for the evening!
This is a real end to end contest so far. Both teams are hungry for an early goal.
4 mins: Signing energetic wing-backs from teams in the lower reaches of Serie A is very much in vogue – at least if you’re a struggling Premier League team right now. Manchester United got Patrick Dorgu and Leicester got Woyo Coulibaly.
Jamie Vardy twists and turns after being played through and forces another save from Flekken. Once again the goalkeeper is up to the challenge.
Good start from Leicester, this!
2 mins: Brentford aren’t pressing super-high in these opening stages, preferring to sit in a mid-block of sorts.
Leicester fashion a chance for new right-back Coulibaly who thrashes it straight at Flekken from an acute angle.
KICK OFF
Here we gooooo.
Updated
Some have taken issue with my quoting of a Ben Affleck film.
Karen As’adi says: “Nope we’re not doing that; we’re not quoting Argo like it’s some classic! True we are spending our Friday night following a Leicester match, still we have standards!
Peter Oh asks: “If Ruud van Nistelrooy is Ben Affleck, is Thomas Frank Kevin Bacon?”
Updated
In the real world Van Nistelrooy and Thomas Frank have been chatting to Sky Sports before kickoff:
“It’s turning those perf into points,” said the Leicester manager. “Consistency comes on the training pitch. The development is there on the individual players who are getting better, also as a team physically. We know if we continue like this, we can get points. It’s always a balance.”
“I’m very wary it’s going to be very difficult,” said Frank. “Leicester have everything to play for, they’re going to come flying out. No doubt they see us as an opportunity to get points.”
Some of those Argo quotes might be applicable to Ruud and Leicester, come to think of it.
"The best bad idea we have.”
“There are only bad options, it’s about finding the best one.”
Another astute email has dropped in, via Joe Pearson.
Is it just me, or does anybody else think Ruud gives off Ben Affleck vibes? Just asking.
Our other live football offering for the evening is under way. Join Macclesfield-born maestro John Brewin for coverage.
Van Nistelrooy watched on from the stands in November as Leicester surrendered a 1-0 lead at the Gtech Community Stadium and ended up thumped 4-1. The scale of the job facing the Dutchman would have been crystal clear from that day onwards.
Since the four points Leicester accrued in RvN’s first two games following that visit to the Bees, they’ve lost 10 out of 12 games. Eesh.
An email agreeing with me? Yes! It’s from Jeremy Boyce:
As you say, bit of a bonkers match to predict. Can’t win at home v Can’t win away. 0-0 then? Or maybe not, given the way Ruud’s boys ship goals, as well as having a redoubtable and brilliant former carpet-fitter still banging them in when they can give him the ball. I’m betting on an Mbeumo/Wissa inside 2 mins, a late Vardy shouldered equaliser in added time, and lots of huff’n’puff without purpose in between. Should I get down the bookies’ now? Obviously we do not condone gambling and would never put THAT on our shirts. Would we?
Am I naive in predicting that this game will perhaps not the foregone conclusion the form-book suggests? Leicester really need this; like really need this. Brentford aren’t quite on the proverbial beach as yet, but they seem safely ensconced in mid-table and probably won’t trouble the European places.
Van Nistelrooy has looked a little lost in the King Power dugout since replacing Steve Cooper, but if he can’t fire up his troops for a game like tonight’s, he’s in the wrong job.
Some things to read:
Not a record you’d want to have. Not even Amorim’s Manchester United are threatening this one.
❌ 0-3 vs. Wolves
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 21, 2025
❌ 0-2 vs. Manchester City
❌ 0-2 vs. Crystal Palace
❌ 0-2 vs. Fulham
❌ 0-2 vs. Arsenal
❓ X-X vs. Brentford
Leicester City could become the first side ever to lose six home games in a row without scoring in an English top flight season when they face… pic.twitter.com/CePz1fkJJN
Team news
Leicester: Hermansen; Coulibaly, Okoli, Faes, Kristiansen; Soumaré, Ndidi; Ayew, El Khannous, Decordova-Reid; Vardy.
Subs: Stolarczyk, Coady, Winks, Mavididi, Daka, Skipp, Vestergaard, Thomas, Buonanotte.
Brentford: Flekken; Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Nørgaard; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade; Wissa.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Carvalho, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Emre Konak, Maghoma, Kayode, Kim, Morgan.
Updated
Preamble
It feels like now or never for Leicester City. Ruud van Nistelrooy has struggled to get a tune from the Foxes since swapping Old Trafford for the King Power Stadium in November, and if tonight’s game ends in another loss – a potential 11th defeat in 13 in all competitions – surely survival will be a step too far.
Everyone knows Brentford aren’t quite the same prospect away from home as they are at home, although the Bees have won their past three on the road at Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham. Van Nistelrooy will need the full support of the King Power crowd, something he hasn’t always been able to count on in recent weeks. You suspect he’ll need the experience and goals of Jamie Vardy, too. Three points would be enough to lift Leicester above Wolves and out of the bottom three, for a few hours at the very least.
Stick around for all the latest updates under the Friday night lights. Kick off is at 8pm GMT.
