MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 7: Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United and Woyo Coulibaly of Leicester City challenge during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford on February 7, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Ruud van Nistelrooy could shock us all at 11:30am with start for ‘powerful’ Leicester City ace vs Arsenal..
Leicester City are back in action on Saturday afternoon as they welcome title-chasing Arsenal to the King Power Stadium.
Following their controversial FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United, Ruud van Nistelrooy can put his full focus on Premier League survival.
The Foxes’ current position in the table is looking bleak, sitting in 18th place after a run of just one win in 10 matches.
Position Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Diff Points
16
West Ham
24 7 6 11 29 46 -17 27
17
Wolves
24 5 4 15 34 52 -18 19
18
Leicester
24 4 5 15 25 53 -28 17
19
Ipswich
24 3 7 14 22 49 -27 16
20
Southampton
24 2 3 19 18 54 -36 9..
Considering where they are in the league and the fact Leicester lost 4-0 against Everton last time out, hardly anyone is giving them a chance of shocking Arsenal at the King Power Stadium.
However, Van Nistelrooy can shock the Leicester fanbase by naming one player in particular in his starting lineup.
READ MORE: ‘I will say this one thing’ Paul Merson has just predicted the score for Leicester City vs Arsenal
Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United and Woyo Coulibaly of Leicester City challenge during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester…
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Ruud van Nistelrooy could start Woyo Coulibaly vs Arsenal
Woyo Coulibaly completed a £3m transfer from Parma in January, and the 25-year-old right-back became the Dutchman’s only signing of the window.
The Frenchman was expected to instantly replace James Justin in the starting lineup given the Englishman’s struggles this term.
That being said, Coulibaly has only played 15 minutes in the Premier League, coming off the bench twice against Tottenham and Everton.
He was then introduced in the final half an hour of their defeat to Man United as he replaced Luke Thomas at left-back and looked comfortable despite playing out of position.
His display in the second half against Old Trafford perhaps warrants a start at right-back in place of Justin, who was torn to shreds by Alejandro Garnacho.
What Van Nistelrooy has said about Coulibaly..
In the early stages of his Premier League career, supporters have seen glimpses as to why he was brought into the club.
Coulibaly has displayed his strength and power in abundance while showcasing his ability to defend in one-on-one situations.
READ MORE: Woyo Coulibaly says title-winning Leicester City duo inspired King Power Stadium move
When he was signed from Parma last month, Van Nistelrooy explained why Coulibaly would flourish at Leicester, outlining his key attributes.
“He’s a strong, powerful player. “He’s good at defending one-v-ones,” Van Nistelrooy said. “He can play low, in the middle, high. He knows how we want to play and the role of the full-back.
“He’s very hard-working. He’s a good character. He’s at an age where he’s at the start of the prime of his career. We need to make him feel at home so he can make an impact immediately.”
From the above comments and the impression he’s made so far, it seems only a matter of time before he’s starting over Justin, and that could happen against Arsenal.
