Leicester City Sacks Steve Cooper Following Defeat To Chelsea

Leicester City sacked manager Steve Cooper on Sunday with the Foxes just two points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Cooper’s appointment to succeed Enzo Maresca in June was met with unpopularity, largely due to his previous ties with local rivals Nottingham Forest.

He won just two of his 12 Premier League games in charge to leave Leicester perilously poised above the drop zone.

The final straw came as Chelsea won 2-1 in Maresca’s return to the King Power on Saturday.

First-team coach Ben Dawson will temporarily oversee the team while the club completes its search for a successor.

“Assistant Manager Alan Tate and First Team Coach and Analyst Steve Rands have also left the Club,” a statement read.

“Steve, Alan, and Steve depart with our thanks for their contribution during their time with the Club and with our best wishes for the future.”

Cooper began his coaching career in the youth set-up of the England national teams before two years at Swansea.

However, it was at Forest that he gained recognition, guiding the two-time European champions back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.

That success, though, counted against him in the eyes of some Leicester fans, who booed him even before kick-off in his first match in charge against Tottenham.

Wins against Bournemouth and relegation rivals Southampton failed to alleviate the growing tension with the fan base.

A five-game winless run that included a League Cup exit to Manchester United ultimately cost him his job, with Leicester sitting 16th in the table.

Cooper becomes the second Premier League manager to be sacked this season, following United’s decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag.