Leicester City's Relegation Woes Continue with 2-0 Loss to West Ham

Image credits: Dalton Bowden/Shutterstock

Leicester City's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League are looking increasingly slim after a 2-0 loss to West Ham United on Thursday night. The defeat, which was their 11th in 12 league games, leaves them five points adrift of safety with 11 games remaining. Ruud van Nistelrooy's side have struggled to score goals all season, and their lack of creativity in the final third was evident once again against West Ham. The Hammers, on the other hand, were able to wrap up the game by half-time, with goals from Tomáš Souček and Jarrod Bowen securing their first back-to-back Premier League wins of the season.

Leicester's performance was described as "submissive" by Van Nistelrooy, who acknowledged that his team's confidence is low after a run of poor results. The Dutchman replaced Steve Cooper as manager in November, but has been unable to turn the team's fortunes around. Despite having 11 games left to play, Leicester's upcoming fixtures look tough, with trips to Chelsea and Manchester City and home matches against Manchester United and Newcastle on the horizon. The team's defensive frailties were exposed once again against West Ham, and they will need to improve significantly if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation.

West Ham, on the other hand, are looking increasingly secure in mid-table, thanks in part to the leadership of manager Graham Potter. The Hammers were unchanged from their win over Arsenal at the weekend, and Potter's decision to stick with the same team paid off as they dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities. Bowen was instrumental in both of West Ham's goals, and his performance was praised by Potter, who said that his team had shown "good spirit" and "good team effort". The win was West Ham's second in a row, and they will be looking to build on this momentum in their upcoming fixtures.

The match was also notable for the tribute paid to former West Ham player Ronnie Boyce, who passed away recently. Boyce was a member of the Hammers' 1964 FA Cup-winning team, and his legacy continues to be celebrated by the club. As for Leicester, they will need to regroup and refocus if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation. Their next game is against Chelsea, and they will need to produce a significant improvement if they are to get anything from the match. The team's players, including defender Wout Faes, have spoken about the need for belief and confidence if they are to turn their season around.

Here are the match scores and statistics:

• West Ham United 2, Leicester City 0
• Goals: Tomáš Souček (21'), Jarrod Bowen (43')
• Assists: Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse
• Shots on target: West Ham 6, Leicester 2
• Possession: West Ham 58%, Leicester 42%

1. West Ham United: Chelsea (away), Newcastle (home), Manchester United (away)
2. Leicester City: Chelsea (away), Manchester City (away), Newcastle (home)