Gary Lineker has expressed concern over Leicester City’s current battle for Premier League survival, attributing much of the club’s struggles to poor recruitment decisions in recent years. While Leicester have earned a win and a draw in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first two matches, lifting them five points above the relegation zone, Lineker remains cautious about their prospects. The Match of the Day presenter believes the squad lacks quality and suggested that there are growing worries within the club, particularly at the higher levels, though he refrained from elaborating further.
Despite these concerns, Lineker is holding onto hope, citing the leadership of key figures like Jamie Vardy as a reason for optimism. Vardy played a crucial role in Leicester’s recent comeback against Brighton, scoring once and setting up another, taking his tally to six goals for the season—double his total from last year’s relegation battle.
On The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker reflected on Leicester’s recent performance, saying, “It was a fantastic comeback from the Foxes, going 2-0 down and fighting back. Vardy added his sixth goal of the season and provided a brilliant assist for Bobby De Cordova-Reid to grab a crucial point. It’s a good start for van Nistelrooy, with Leicester now five points clear of the relegation zone, but as always, I remain nervous. As a fan of a club in danger of relegation, any sense of confidence can quickly fade if results take a turn for the worse.”
Lineker also acknowledged the club’s ongoing challenges, saying, “It’s a tough situation. We don’t have a particularly strong squad right now. The club’s management and recruitment have been lacking in recent years, with plenty of mistakes made. There’s certainly concern among those at the top of the club. However, what stands out is the spirit within the team. You can see the fight, especially from leaders like Vardy and Conor Coady, who have come in and made an impact at the back. With these experienced players, there’s still reason to believe they can stay up.”
