Gary Lineker reveals Leicester City transfer wish if they're to avoid relegation
Gary Lineker still believes Leicester City can rescue their season and secure Premier League safety - if they recruit a good defender this month. The Foxes, under Ruud Van Nistelrooy, have now lost five straight league matches and were defeated 2-1 at Aston Villa on Saturday despite hauling themselves back into the game.
Van Nistelrooy oversaw a return of four points from his first two games in charge but City have now won only one of their last 12 league matches and have, for the first time this season, slipped into the relegation zone. The goals against column, though, is especially alarming.
Leicester have kept only a single clean sheet this season, in the win over Bournemouth, but have shipped 16 goals in their last six matches alone. To that end, a defensive reinforcement must be sourced, says Lineker - and he believes that if they can identify and sign a suitable figure then the club can still avoid relegation.
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"It's a shame, but if Leicester sign a defender in the window, a good one, I still think they'll stay up - I hope! Another defeat, that's five in a row," Lineker said on Match Of The Day. "Despite an improvement in their overall play recently, they just leak too many goals."
Villa were allowed to plunder a couple of avoidable goals, from City's point of view, either side of Stephy Mavididi's reply on Saturday. Ross Barkley was afforded too much room on the edge of the penalty area after they failed to clear their lines from a corner, and then James Justin was guilty of not removing the danger when in possession and was caught out, leading to Leon Bailey's winner.
"It's just basic errors," pundit Micah Richards added. "There are multiple times they could have cleared the ball [for the first goal]. Vardy - straight to a Villa player. Soumare - straight to a Villa player. Then Ross Barkley is left in acres of space. [Bilal] El Khannouss- just do the job for your team. He's played well recently, but he needs to do his defensive work.
"The second goal, Justin - who I'm a big fan of - I know he's had his injuries but he's been playing okay. He has an opportunity to clear it, he doesn't. Then he has two options - he can play it into his centre half or go long. He decides not to do that. He turns again, [Jordan] Ayew isn't set and it's intercepted by [Ian] Maatsen. For the good things they're doing, they need to brush up on that."
