Ruud van Nistelrooy explains how £50k-a-week Leicester City star still has role to play despite fan backlash

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Ruud van Nistelrooy has singled out one of his Leicester City stars despite the recent backlash he has received.

After a win and a draw in his first two games it’s been far more difficult for the Foxes of late, who have lost five games in a row since then.

Leicester are 19th in the Premier League and could still be punished even more as the Foxes await to hear if they will get a points deduction.

Some Leicester have become frustrated with the likes of James Justin this season after several sub-par displays.

Justin isn’t the only one who hasn’t come under fire this season and Van Nistelrooy has praised the attitude of one of his first-team players.

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Danny Ward praised by Leicester City boss after boos in Wolves defeat

One of the players who has come in for the most criticism this season is Danny Ward.

The Wales international was thrust into the action midway through the 4-0 defeat against Newcastle United after Mads Hermansen went off injured.

He then started the following game against Wolves, where Ward was booed by Leicester fans after they deemed him to be at fault for the 3-0 defeat.

Van Nistelrooy defended Ward after the game but has opted to choose Jakub Stolarczyk in the past three fixtures.

Ward wasn’t named in the squad against Liverpool and Manchester City but was spotted at Villa Park on Sunday and Van Nistelrooy revealed that he has been impressed with the goalkeeper’s professionalism since the backlash.

He said: “The conversation with Wardy was impressive, I have to share with you. The way he was thinking of the team and the club and the performance of his team-mates, I was impressed with that. I insisted on the conversation. It’s a private conversation but what I want to share is the person and professional that he is.

“It was really tough on him, what happened to him. We’re professionals but we’re human beings as well. When frustration is being directed to one person in particular, that’s tough on someone. That’s what we spoke about.

The way he’s been helping Jakub and the team, I have to emphasise the team player he is. That’s a big compliment to him. It helps Jakub to perform. The goalkeeper group is a tight bunch. They work well together. Danny was in a very difficult situation but he’s handling it in a great way, sharing his experience with Jakub and it shows in his performances.

“That reaction I was very happy with. It could have gone in another way but I think the conversation me and Jelle (ten Rouwelaar, goalkeeping coach) had with him was very important.”

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Danny Ward set to leave Leicester City at end of the season

There’s less than six months to go until the end of the season and it seems that Ward’s future is already apparent.

The 31-year-old’s contract expires in June and appears to be the third choice goalkeeper at the club, despite earning in the region of £50,000-a-week according to Capology.

It appears that he won’t be in the Foxes’ plans going forward and with a need to save money wherever possible to avoid falling foul of financial repercussions, Ward’s position at the club may be one that’s sacrificed.