Coady acknowledges 'horrible' moment for relegation-bound Leicester

Leicester City defender Conor Coady has acknowledged it is a "horrible" moment for everyone at the club as the Premier League strugglers approach Saturday's trip to Brighton.

Leicester were thrashed 3-0 by Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium on Monday, becoming the first team in the history of English football's top four tiers to lose eight consecutive home matches without scoring.

They are 15 points adrift of 17th-placed Wolves and could see their relegation confirmed after their next two games, at the Amex Stadium and at home to Liverpool.

"It's hard to describe, to be honest, how it's been. It makes us feel awful," Coady told Premier League Productions.

"You feel disconnection and disappointment when you step off the pitch. All we can do is give our all for the shirt. It's not been good enough for a couple of months now.

"It's hard to find confidence. I don't know how many games it's been since we last picked up a point. 

"It's a horrible moment for the club with how we're playing on the pitch and trying to regain any confidence."

Their terrible form has led to suggestions Ruud van Nistelrooy's time in charge will soon end, but the Dutchman swerved questions about his future after the Newcastle game.

"The most important thing is the club and these players, that's what I would say for now," Van Nistelrooy said.

Brighton, meanwhile, have lost back-to-back games to give up ground in the fight for European qualification. They are ninth in the table, a point behind Fulham in eighth.

They lost 2-1 to nine-man Crystal Palace last time out, but Jack Hinshelwood is determined to set things right in front of their own fans.

"The loss is tough to take, but we have had a lot of setbacks that are usually followed by good responses," he said. 

"I think we have to let this one hurt for a few days and then go back to the training pitch, work really hard and do what we know we do best.

"There is still loads to play for. This is going to motivate us more. By the time Leicester come we will be raring to go because it's hurt us and hurt our fans."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brighton – Yankuba Minteh 

Minteh has been involved in seven goals in his last 10 Premier League starts for Brighton (four goals, three assists). 

Overall in 2024-25, the 20-year-old has five goals and four assists, and only one African player has been involved in 10 goals in a season before turning 21 – Peter Ndlovu (10 in both 1992-93 and 1993-94 for Coventry).

Leicester City – Jamie Vardy

On Monday, Leicester became the first team in English top-flight history to lose eight straight home league games without scoring. The Foxes could make more unwanted history this week, having also lost their last eight league matches (home and away) to nil. 

They could become the first team to lose nine consecutive top-flight games without reply in history, unless Vardy has something to say about it.

MATCH PREDICTION – BRIGHTON WIN

Since hammering Wolves 6-0 on April 29, 2023, Brighton have won none of their last seven Premier League games played in April (D2 L5), losing each of the last four in a row.

The Seagulls have also their last two Premier League games, as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 13 (W6 D5). The Seagulls have not suffered more consecutive league defeats since March 2022 under Graham Potter (a run of six).

But they should be supremely confident of getting back to winning ways now.

Only Southampton (five) have picked up fewer away Premier League points than Leicester this season (eight), with the Foxes losing nine of their last 10 on the road, including the last four in a row without scoring.

Leicester have not won an away Premier League game against a team starting the day in the top half of the table since May 2021 at Manchester United – they have picked up just four points in 24 games since then (D4 L20).

Van Nistelrooy's team look resigned to their fate and there appears to be next to no chance of an upset here.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brighton – 69.9%

Leicester City – 12.8%

Draw – 17.3%