Leicester hope to appoint new manager before Brentford clash on Saturday

Leicester will look to appoint a new permanent manager in time for Saturday's trip to Brentford, having sacked Steve Cooper after just 15 games in charge.

The former Nottingham Forest boss left the King Power Stadium the day after his side's flat performance in a 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea that left them two points above the relegation zone.

Cooper was hired on a three-year contract last summer and leaves Leicester in the best position of the three teams that were promoted from the Championship last season.

It is understood the club would be interested in talking to Graham Potter, who they approached last summer and in the spring of 2023.

Cooper struggled to win over the majority of the team. At their Christmas party in Copenhagen on Saturday evening – a trip sanctioned by Cooper – players were photographed at the city's Museo nightclub. In one of the photos, a reveler holds up a sign reading “Enzo, I miss you.”

Former Leicester coach Enzo Maresca, who was succeeded by Cooper, had led Chelsea to a 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium hours earlier.

Although the results were not disastrous, Leicester's leaders were alarmed by the level of performance, while the change in approach between Cooper and Maresca is also said to have upset a number of players.

The team had Monday off before training resumed on Tuesday. Ruud van Nistelrooy can also throw his hat in the ring after leaving Manchester United earlier this month, while David Moyes has a strong track record and is available.

Leicester were relegated at the end of the 2022-23 season, having resisted sacking Brendan Rodgers until it was arguably too late. Mail Sport understands that the hierarchy did not want to be left in confusion again this time with the stakes so high.

Although not believed to be a strong factor in his dismissal, Cooper's vociferous criticism of officials was unusual for a Leicester manager in the era of ownership by the Srivaddhanaprabha family. After Saturday's match, the Welshman was vociferous in his attack on referee Andy Madley for not allowing Leicester more than one penalty in the second half.