Fulham inflict seventh defeat in a row on Ruud’s Leicester City

Fulham inflicted a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Two second half goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore was enough for the visitors after the first half ended goalless.

The Foxes provided another solid first-half showing but ultimately paid the price for a lack of quality finishing.

Leicester also failed to learn their lessons from their midweek second-half collapse to Crystal Palace in a similar showing in front of their own fans.

The hosts’ defensive fragility showed after the interval and they conceded early for the second time in the space of a week courtesy of Smith-Rowe’s fourth goal of the campaign.

A hostile home atmosphere did not improve Leicester’s performance and the Cottagers ensured a return to winning ways as substituted Traore handed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s relegation-threatened team a seventh loss from his first 10 games in all competitions.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was also the target of negative chants from the home stands just a few weeks after goalkeeper Danny Ward had received the same treatment from his own fans.

The hosts were quick out of the traps and were almost rewarded for their fast start but

Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was alert to keep out Jordan Ayew from close range inside a minute.

Leno was brought into action again as Timothy Castagne aimed to swipe Jamie Vardy’s teasing delivery out for a corner but inadvertently sent it goalwards and the Fulham stopper was quick off his mark to bat it behind.

Leicester defender Victor Kristiansen decided to venture up the field and skilfully weaved his way into the box but could not find the target.

It took 36 minutes for Fulham to pose a threat. Calvin Bassey found space on the edge of the box and whistled an effort just wide of the far post before Antonee Robinson found the side-netting.

Fulham failed to trouble Leicester in the first 45 minutes but nervous home supporters gasped when the visitors came forward, with Robinson and Bassey seeing efforts blocked by Bilal El Khannouss.

Leicester were caught cold following the half-time break as Fulham hit the front three minutes after the restart.

The hosts were split open from Raul Jimenez’s long ball over the top which found Harry Wilson, he cleverly kept the ball in play and his delivery was nodded on by Sasa Lukic and into the path of Smith Rowe, who tapped into an empty net.