Tomas Soucek marked his 30th birthday by scoring the opening goal in the first half, finding the net from a loose ball after Mohammed Kudus’ shot was blocked.

Just before halftime, the hosts extended their lead against the struggling Foxes when Jarrod Bowen’s shot from a tight angle deflected off Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard. This came after Jamie Vardy’s header from a corner struck the woodwork for the visitors.

The Foxes aimed to narrow the gap to safety to two points with a win and started positively, with Wilfred Ndidi having a shot saved in the second minute.

However, the early goal from the Hammers dealt a significant blow to their confidence, and they struggled to make any meaningful chances afterward.

The defeat leaves Van Nistelrooy’s team in second-to-last place in the Premier League, five points adrift of safety. Meanwhile, West Ham sits in 15th position, their consecutive victories putting them level on points with Tottenham and Manchester United, well above the relegation zone.