'I expected to get more points' - Ruud van Nistelrooy highlights 'clear difference in quality' as Leicester boss explains dismal record following Foxes relegation

Leicester City reached the Premier League after absolutely dominating the Championship last season with Enzo Maresca; however, after the Italian left his post to join Chelsea, the Foxes signed Steve Cooper as their head coach. Cooper's side struggled for form through the start of the season before the former Nottingham Forest coach was sacked and replaced by Van Nistelrooy, following his own departure from Manchester United in September, after their onboarding of permanent boss Ruben Amorim.

Van Nistelrooy joined Leicester City and immediately helped the Foxes to a 3-1 win against West Ham on his debut, prompting some hope within the camp regarding the potential of avoiding relegation. However, since then, the 2016 Premier League champions have only managed to win one league game, and their defeat to Liverpool on Sunday officially sealed their fate to return to the Championship. The Dutchman has opened up on the Foxes' relegation and claimed that he expected the team to get more points.

Speaking to the media, Van Nistelrooy said: "It’s very disappointing – it’s been weeks leading up to this. We always kept fighting for every bit of hope we had. We have to continue to use the games to end the season in the best way possible. I’m focused on taking my responsibility to do the best things for the future and next season. Performances like Brighton and the Liverpool game are signs that the players are willing to do that. We have to take responsibility, and that’s what I’m doing for the next five weeks, and after that, we have to see.

"I expected to get more points than I was able to get. I think there were some very good performances and that's what we've said in press conferences, and there were games where didn't perform to our capabilities. Over 33 games, it's the level of the three promoted sides - the gap has been too big compared to the other 17 teams - it's a clear, difference in quality with two teams relegated already and the other one 15 points back with five games - that's the first conclusion and important one.

"I have done everything in the interests of the club, so no, I wouldn’t change,’ he said. It is my job to make decisions before and not after. After you can say, it was good or it wasn’t good. The decisions I made with all the people in the club were made with one goal, and that was to bring points on the table. There’s no regrets in that."

The Dutchman has stated that he plans to stay with Leicester next season as he intends to honour his contract with the club, which stands till 2027.