Ruud van Nistelrooy expects Leicester’s relegation battle to go to the wire

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy says his side’s survival fate will go down to the last game.

The Foxes took four points from the Dutchman’s first two games in charge following his appointment at the start of December, but they are back in the relegation zone after six successive Premier League defeats.

Performances have been encouraging, but results have not followed and Van Nistelrooy knows the situation is serious.

“We want to be out of the situation come May, we also know we’re in a position with three or four teams that are close together and they are also dropping points,” he said.

“That makes the situation possible, but it is up to us to start collecting points. Performances are something you can build on but we are all fed up of that.

“From the first day I joined I spoke about it going right to the last day this battle. You have hopes we could surprise and get more results to get us out of the situation early, so in that sense it is disappointing that didn’t happen.

“There is an amount of patience required, for a six-week start of a collaboration between me and the players, the club, and believe that in this path good performances will turn into points.”

Leicester will try and end their horror run against Fulham on Saturday.

Asked whether the job at the King Power Stadium is harder than he thought it would be, Van Nistelrooy said: “In the sense of the Premier League, no, I knew what to expect.

“Coming here, seeing the squad, we knew there are possibilities there that this squad has enough to stay up.

“The belief is there but it is going to be very difficult. I am not surprised with that, a lot of work is required.

“The belief is there, definitely. With the remaining games and how close the bottom five teams is together, there is possibilities, but we have to start collecting points.”