The Dutchman's curious reluctance to instigate tactical change, or hand Facundo Buonanotte more game time, is undermining his position

Van Nistelrooy has given Leicester an identity, and performances – especially from the midfield – have been good. Defensive issues and individual errors persist, though, and the lack of signings in January, alongside injuries to key players, makes his job even more challenging.

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy admits his team faces “a huge mountain to climb” if they are to avoid relegation from the Premier League following a heavy 4-0 defeat to Brentford.The Foxes became the first team to lose six successive Premier League home games without scoring.