Watching on from the comfort of the stands alongside Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Van Nistelrooy – who was confirmed as Steve Cooper‘s replacement on a three-year contract on Friday – was given plenty to ponder as he witnessed the Foxes fumble a one-goal lead at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Facundo Buonanotte‘s fourth goal of the Premier League season briefly silenced the Brentford contingent, but the Bees proved that their sting remains as potent as ever at their headquarters, where glistening German Kevin Schade set up Yoane Wissa before registering his first-ever senior career hat-trick.
Saturday’s comprehensive defeat under the management of Ben Dawson represented a third straight loss for a leaky Leicester, who had previously been conquered by Chelsea and Van Nistelrooy’s Manchester United during the last weeks of Cooper’s reign, dismal results that have contributed to their 16th-placed ranking in the Premier League table.
The 2015-16 top-flight champions only have a one-point buffer over all of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town with a third of the season gone, and for all of Van Nistelrooy’s offensive talent during his playing heyday, shoring up Leicester’s fragile backline must be priority number one.
Last season’s six-goal shellacking at the hands of Arsenal would ostensibly be the lowest London derby ebb that West Ham could suffer, but the Irons were on course to suffer an even more humiliating beatdown on Saturday, when Mikel Arteta‘s men hit four inside the opening 36 minutes.
Two quickfire strikes from full-back pair Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson Palmieri ensured that West Ham would avoid that same 6-0 fate as they momentarily gave rise to an unbelievable comeback, which was immediately stopped in its tracks when Bukayo Saka stroked home Arsenal’s second penalty of the evening.
A record-equalling seven-goal first half preceded a scoreless second at the London Stadium, which suited Arsenal down the ground but triggered the early exits of hundreds of Hammers supporters as their side’s two-game unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
STREAM LINKS >>> Stream 1 Stream 2 Stream 3
When the Irons are beaten, they are beaten to a pulp – each of their last five defeats have been by at least three goals – and Lopetegui’s position remains under serious threat while the 14th-placed Hammers languish perilously close to the danger zone.
Inspiration can be taken from West Ham’s last successful away day at Newcastle United, but Leicester did the double over the former Conference League champions during the 2022-23 campaign, following up a 2-0 away win with a 2-1 home success before falling through the trap door.
