Premier League
Ruud van Nistelrooy Enjoys Winning Start With Leicester
Ruud van Nistelrooy enjoyed a dream start to his reign as Leicester manager after a 3-1 win over West Ham, whose boss Julen Lopetugui is under increasing pressure.
Van Nistelrooy has replaced Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium and saw Jamie Vardy open the scoring after just 98 seconds.
Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka added goals after the break to ensure the Dutchman started with three points in style.
His task is to keep the Foxes in the Premier League this season and after ending a five-game winless run they moved up to 15th, four points clear of the relegation zone.
West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.
Niclas Fullkrug scored a consolation goal at the death but it counted for nothing and forthcoming games against Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future.
When Van Nistelrooy went to bed last night, even he would not have dreamt of his side starting as well as they did as they went ahead with less than two minutes on the clock.
One of the Dutchman’s first conversations following his appointment was to take Vardy to task for breaking his record for scoring in the most consecutive Premier League games nine years ago.
And the veteran striker rolled back to the years as, living on the shoulder of the West Ham defence, he raced clear from El Khannouss’ through-ball and slotted into the corner.
The linesman’s flag immediately went up but a lengthy VAR review ruled Vardy had timed his run perfectly and the goal stood.
Vardy could have added a second from a similar move but this time Lukasz Fabianski denied him.
The Dutchman quickly learned about the frailties of his side as West Ham created a raft of chances in search of an equaliser.
Jarrod Bowen forced Mads Hermansen into a stretching save when he cut in from the right before Ings’ header crashed into the post and Max Kilman slipped at the crucial point from the rebound.
Bowen, a constant threat, sent a ball across face of goal which evaded everyone before the England international was denied by a reflex save from the busy Hermansen.
The Danish goalkeeper needed to be alert to tip over Mohammed Kudus’ deflected effort early in the second half before he was saved by the referee’s whistle after after his attempted punch went into his own goal, Tomas Soucek the man penalised.
Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen punches into his own goal while being challenged by Tomas Soucek, with the goal disallowed
Leicester remained a threat on the counter-attack and that is how they doubled their lead just after the hour.
Kasey McAteer was set clear down the left and his ball inside was perfect for El Khannouss to find the bottom corner from 15 yards.
It was almost three as Fabianski produced an acrobatic save from Wilfred Ndidi’s header before Leicester needed a heroic piece of defending to keep their 2-0 lead intact.
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**Title:** Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic **Meta Description:** Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for a second spell after Zlatko Dalic stepped down following the 2026 World Cup. **Slug:** croatia-confirm-slaven-bilic-return-head-coach **Alt Image Text:** Slaven Bilic during his unveiling as Croatia national team head coach — # Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic Croatia have officially confirmed the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, with the former West Ham United manager replacing Zlatko Dalic following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bilic returns to the national team after more than a decade away, ending a two-year absence from management as he begins a second spell in charge of his country. ## Bilic begins a second spell with Croatia The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced Bilic’s appointment after the Executive Committee unanimously approved the recommendation of federation president Marijan Kustic. Bilic previously managed Croatia between 2006 and 2012, guiding the national team through two European Championships before embarking on a successful club coaching career that included spells with West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Besiktas and Al-Ittihad. The federation believes his experience and deep understanding of Croatian football make him the ideal candidate to lead the next generation. ## Huge task replacing Zlatko Dalic Bilic succeeds one of the most successful managers in Croatia’s history. Dalic stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a remarkable tenure that included a World Cup final, a World Cup semi-final and several memorable tournament campaigns. Federation president Marijan Kustic acknowledged the size of the challenge but expressed complete confidence in Bilic. > “I would like to once again thank Zlatko for the exceptional results he achieved during his tenure. It is not easy to follow in his footsteps, but we are convinced Slaven is the right person for this role.” Kustic added that Bilic’s international pedigree and extensive coaching experience were decisive factors behind the appointment. ## Bilic honoured to return Bilic described his return as the greatest honour of his coaching career and admitted he understands the expectations that come with leading one of international football’s most consistent tournament teams. > “I would like to thank President Kustic and the Federation’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in allowing me to lead the Croatian national team once again — the greatest honour for any Croatian coach.” The 57-year-old also praised the standards established under Dalic while insisting he is ready for the responsibility. > “I am fully aware of the high expectations that follow such a remarkable period under Zlatko Dalic, but anyone who takes charge of Croatia must be prepared for that because we are a football nation that lives and breathes its national team.” ## A new chapter begins Bilic now faces the task of building on Dalic’s legacy while preparing Croatia for the next international cycle. With a blend of experienced stars and emerging young talent at his disposal, Croatia will hope their returning manager can guide them to another successful era on the international stage.
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