- Fulham scored twice in the second half to make easy work of Leicester
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Angry Leicester fans vented their frustration at Ruud van Nistelrooy and director of football Jon Rudkin as they slipped to a seventh consecutive defeat.
Second half goals from Fulham’s Emile Smith-Rowe, on his hundredth Premier League appearance, and Adama Traore helped turn the atmosphere at The King Power toxic.
Chants of “Sack the Board” and “We want Rudkin out” filled the stadium but van Nistelrooy, appointed only seven weeks ago, wasn’t spared either.
His decision to substitute creators Bilal El Khannouss and Harry Winks with the score at 1-0 was loudly booed with supporters singing “You don’t know what you’re doing”.
When Jordan Ayew was replaced later on, the fans cheered his removal.
At the final whistle, a grim-faced van Nistelrooy strode onto the pitch to console his players. The response from the Leicester fans was mainly muted – because most of them had already left before the end.
Fulham cruised past relegation strugglers Leicester to win 2-0 at the King Power Stadium
The Foxes have now lost their last seven Premier League games and languish in 19th place
It added up to a miserable afternoon for The Foxes who had started brightly with Ayew denied by Bernd Leno in the opening minutes and Jamie Vardy almost forcing his former team-mate Timothy Castagne into conceding an own goal – the defender saved by his goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s reflexes.
Fulham, who are comfortably mid-table, began to improve as the first half reached its end with Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson all going close.
It prompted Marco Silva to be more positive in the second half with pace merchant Adama Traore replacing Iwobi and holding midfielder Sasa Lukic encouraged to get forward.
The visitors were rewarded by taking the lead after 48 minutes.
Raul Jimenez played in Harry Wilson and when he hooked the ball across the box Lukic nodded on for Smith-Rowe to stoop and put Fulham ahead.
It marked Smith-Rowe’s first goal since November and frustration among Foxes fans who are next-to-bottom in the league was evident.
Rudkin was the main target but when Ayew botched his finish to equalise, the fans turned on van Nistelrooy for taking off two other players instead after 64 minutes.
Within four minutes, things got worse with Leicester adding a second. Lukic was able to drive through the home midfield without a challenge being made.
When the ball reached Wilson on the left, he sent over a cross that was met with a brilliant sidefoot finish from Traore.
Ayew’s departure after 71 minutes to be replaced by Facundo Buonanotte was greeted with ironic cheers. It reflected the dismal mood in a misty stadium. Leicester’s magical Premier League title success of 2016 feels a very long time ago.
