Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed the size of the task ahead as Leicester City suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to Brentford.
Brentford’s Kevin Schade hat-trick led the charge for the hosts.
Van Nistelrooy, newly appointed as Leicester’s manager, watched from the directors’ box as his side’s defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed.
Leicester started brightly, taking the lead in the 22nd minute through Facundo Buonanotte, who finished a Jamie Vardy assist after capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Ethan Pinnock.
However, the Foxes’ joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Brentford equalized when Schade set up Yoane Wissa to tap in unmarked.
Schade then turned scorer, pouncing on chaotic defending to give the Bees the lead.
His second goal came in first-half stoppage time, finishing a Mikkel Damsgaard pass from a tight angle to make it 3-1.
Leicester’s defense, despite the inclusion of England international Conor Coady and Luke Thomas, struggled to cope with Brentford’s attacking trio.
In the second half, Brentford remained dominant. Schade completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute, outpacing Leicester’s defenders to fire past Mads Hermansen.
The hosts controlled possession, delighting their fans with fluid football and keeping Leicester at bay.
For Van Nistelrooy, the task of revitalizing Leicester is clear.
While the team boasts attacking potential, as evidenced by their consistent scoring record this season, defensive frailty remains their Achilles’ heel.
