Ruud van Nistelrooy relieved as Leicester end goal drought in win over Saints

Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was relieved to see his side end their long wait for a home goal in the Premier League as they comfortably defeated Southampton 2-0 at the King Power Stadium.

A clash between two already-relegated teams was broken open by Jamie Vardy’s 199th goal for the Foxes which ended a drought of 826 minutes of not scoring on their own patch in the league.

It set Leicester on their way to a first win since January, while it ensured the Saints will end the season bottom of the table, with only three games left to move off 11 points and avoid equalling the competition’s lowest-ever total.

Van Nistelrooy said: “The performance provided the three points.

“The first goal was finished in style and it gave us that lead that we needed, and the first goal, of course, at home in a long, long time. We were ready to break that cycle today.

“It was a relief to go ahead in the game – I can’t remember the last time that we did.

“Obviously, going two up was great and was a boost for the team and also everyone in the stadium.

“For me, it was important that I saw a team today that was fighting to do well and wanted to break a cycle of home games [without scoring], that wanted to get a clean sheet and wanted to improve and be in the beat place possible for next season.

“That is the motivation that carries us over the next games, and also the past two or three games.”

Leicester broke through after 16 minutes when Bilal El Khannouss’ low cross was thumped high into the net by Vardy.

Referee David Webb had gone off with a head injury by the time Jordan Ayew doubled the Foxes’ lead in the 44th minute with a crisp low drive.

Southampton interim boss Simon Rusk said: “The first goal just seemed to knock the confidence out of the team.

“Maybe that’s a result of the season as a whole in that it seemed to be a step too far psychologically perhaps.

“That’s how it appeared for everyone on the pitch in that moment, and the first-half performance just ran away from us in the end.

“We can try and affect confidence levels as much as we can, but the reality is we’re working together as a group that’s won two games all season.

“We are away from home in the Premier League against a team with seven more points than us and I expected a difficult game.

“As can happen in the Premier League, and with where we’re at, at the moment, and this season as a whole, it went against us and we struggled to maintain performance from there.”

Exclusive: Southampton FC warned against appointing 33-year-old – It’s a “big risk”

Lee Hendrie remains on the fence regarding Southampton’s interest in appointing former Manchester United and Chelsea coach Eric Ramsay as their new head coach.

The Saints have been without a manager since mid-March when Ivan Juric was moved on after just over three months in charge at St Mary’s. The Croatian replaced promotion-winning manager Russell Martin, but was unable to turn the club’s fortunes around.

After months of speculation regarding the Hampshire side looking to appoint Danny Rohl as their new head coach, that ship seems to have sailed despite his cheaper release clause following Southampton’s relegation.

The latest name to be linked with the vacancy at the Premier League’s bottom club is Ramsay.

The 33-year-old is currently coaching Minnesota United in the MLS. In his first season across the pond, the Shrewsbury-born boss guided the Loons to a sixth-place finish in the Western Conference, which ended in defeat in the semi-finals.

Now, the former Man Utd and Wales coach has been touted for the Southampton job, as they gear up for the Championship. However, is this risky appointment one that’s worth taking?

Lee Hendrie unsure on Eric Ramsay’s Southampton links

With the links between the Saints and Ramsey, Football League World exclusively quizzed former Aston Villa midfielder turned Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie on whether he thought that appointing the Minnesota boss was a good move.

The 47-year-old said: “Yeah again, I’ve just touched on the Norwich situation by taking [Jack] Wilshere in there.

“We’ve seen so many good coaches and people who’ve been at big football clubs working below the first-team or with the first-team taking that step up.

“I think it would be a big risk because Southampton will be one of the teams that are expected to bounce back into the Premier League. So yes, [it is] a massive gamble with the lack of EFL experience, but if there’s an investment plan there.

“I’m not saying we haven’t seen anyone do so, we’ve seen Leicester do it, [Enzo] Maresca did a great job there.

“So yes for me, not having experience, but when you have investment, I think you’ve got every chance. There’s a bit of both there for me.”

Southampton should go for a less risky appointment than Ramsay

Appointing young and exciting coaches has become a theme in football across the world in recent years. You look at what Fabian Hurzeler has done at Brighton and Hove Albion, and it’s understandable why appointing a younger coach is more favourable for clubs.

However, appointing Ramsay is a massive risk for the Saints in a season where they’ll be expecting to get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.