Kudus’ Return Mattered Less as van Nistelrooy Begins Leicester Tenure with Win Over West Ham
Ghanaian forward Mohammed Kudus’ return to action after serving a five-match suspension was marred as Ruud van Nistelrooy guided Leicester City to a 3-1 victory over West Ham on his debut as Leicester City manager.
Jamie Vardy opened the scoring within two minutes, capitalizing on Bilal El Khannouss’ precise pass. Despite a lengthy VAR review, his goal was ruled to be a legitimate one after being initially flagged for offside.
El Khannouss and Patson Daka added to the scoreline, with Leicester’s defense and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen delivering an exceptional performance.
Niclas Fullkrug’s late goal was merely a consolation for West Ham, whose struggles under Julen Lopetegui continued with their seventh defeat in 14 matches.
Kudus, back in the lineup, was unable to inspire a turnaround for the Hammers.
West Ham created opportunities but failed to capitalize, with Danny Ings hitting the post and Jarrod Bowen missing key chances.
Hermansen made crucial saves, including thwarting Bowen twice, to keep Leicester in control.
A disallowed goal for West Ham, ruled out by VAR due to a foul on Hermansen, further frustrated the visitors.
Kudus had moments of influence but could not break through Leicester’s disciplined defense.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s pragmatic approach has already won over Leicester fans. “I’m not about romantic football; results matter,” he said upon his appointment, and his team delivered just that.
The win moves Leicester to 15th place, two points behind West Ham, who face growing unrest among their supporters.
For Lopetegui and the Hammers, the defeat raises more questions as they struggle to find consistency.
Kudus’s return was positive, but his impact was limited in a performance that saw West Ham outclassed by a spirited Leicester side.