Leicester City have been relegated from the Premier League after the 1-0 loss against Liverpool.

Ruud van Nistelrooy admitted that Leicester City fell foul of the chasm between the Premier League and the Championship as the Foxes were relegated at the hands of Liverpool.

The Reds’ 1-0 win, courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 76th-minute goal, moved them to within three points of claiming a 20th English title. But defeat for Leicester confirmed that they will play the 2025-26 season in the second tier. The Foxes have endured turbulence because of financial issues, head coach Enzo Maresca leaving the club last summer and Steve Cooper being sacked in November.

Van Nistelrooy took over in the King Power Stadium hot seat but was he unable to stave off dropping to the Championship for the second time in three campaigns. After a 2-2 draw against Brighton in their previous game and narrowly losing to Liverpool, Van Nistelrooy did take some positives and hopes they will bode well for Leicester’s future. However, the former Manchester United striker knows that talks with the Foxes’ owners need to happen.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I am focused on and taking my responsibility to do the best things for the club, taking it into the future and performances like Brighton and Liverpool are signs that players are willing to do that and develop and finish the season the best way possible. The new season will start and continue in the Championship. You have to take the responsibility.

“I think over 32, 33 games it is the level of the three promoted sides has been too big compared to the other 17 games, it is clear the difference in quality is there; the two teams relegated already (Leicester and Southampton )and the other (Ipswich Town) 15 points behind with five games, so the gap is big.

“I expected to get more points than I was able to from the games I was able to lead. There were some very good performances and also performances where we didn’t perform to our capabilities and you lose games in the first half and there were too many of them. I expected to bring more points to the table. Performances like Brighton and Liverpool are helpful towards that process so that’s where I think the club has to use this time.”

Former Liverpool defender Conor Coady conceded Leicester have not been good enough - and they need to get the club on the right track during the summer. He told Sky Sports: "We've not been good enough all season. I thought we played quite well today, moved the ball well and nullified Liverpool - they're a world-class side. But we look back on this season and it's not been anywhere near good enough.

"We've got to look at ourselves as players in the mirror. We have to now, what's happened has happened. We have to try and put this club in a better position come the summer because we haven't been good enough.

"We've took a bit of stick and we'll continue to take stick because it's deserved. From minute one this season, we haven't been at a level to fully compete in the Premier League and you have to be because it'll chew you up and spit you out. It's something we have to look at because we're absolutely devastated."