Leicester City are almost certainly heading straight back to the Championship after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have lost seven games on the bounce without scoring and sit 12 points adrift of safety.
Leicester failed to even register a shot on target at the Etihad Stadium in what was a performance lacking serious belief.
Even the ever-reliable Mads Hermansen dropped a pitiful performance, as he made a blunder in the first half which led to Omar Marmoush’s goal.
Wilfred Ndidi looked well off the pace, too, and Jamie Vardy is now showing serious levels of decline as he approaches the end of his contract.
And, speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Van Nistelrooy accepted his Leicester City fate for the first time.
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Ruud van Nistelrooy finally accepts Leicester City relegation
Van Nistelrooy has always remained confident of achieving Premier League safety, even heading into this game nine points from 17th-placed Wolves.
But finally, the Dutchman has accepted relegation for the first time since arriving at the club at the beginning of December.
“Today before the game I mentioned it because the gap was already big,” Van Nistelrooy explained.
“I asked the players that the remaining moments we have at this level we have to make the most of it no matter the table or the score in the game. We have to go from first to last minute and give it everything.
“We can be real about it, 12 points eight games to play. It’s a very big difference, too much. Focus on game to game and presenting ourselves in the best possible way. That is the main target now.”
Van Nistelrooy insists he’s still committed to Leicester job
Since the disastrous January transfer window, many have suggested Van Nistelrooy could resign.
He has a history of it, having thrown in the towel at PSV after not being backed by the board, so Leicester fans predicted the same would happen here.
However, the former Manchester United interim has doubled down this evening, confirming that he’s still committed to the cause.
“For me the most important thing is I stay at it and evaluate the games and be the best manager I can be in this situation. That is my job, in an extremely difficult moment. I expect myself to be the first one to react in a good way.”
So, if Van Nistelrooy is to leave Leicester, it’ll have to be from a decision made by Jon Rudkin and Khun Vichai.