As one era began, another was perhaps a little closer to its end when Julen Lopetegui felt the full force of the fury of the West Ham fans.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game as Leicester manager was an emotional win, with his side enjoying the kind of luck that eluded Lopetegui when he needed it most.

West Ham fans chanted “You leave tomorrow morning” in the final minutes and although Lopetegui’s post-match words were defiant, he looked a broken man.

Nine years ago, Jamie Vardy scored in 11 consecutive games to break a Premier League record held by Van Nistelrooy. It was just 98 seconds into the game when Leicester’s outstanding talisman put his side in front and Bilal El Khannouss doubled their lead early in the second half.

In those moments, only West Ham will know how they failed to score.
Shortly before the second leg, they had a goal disallowed for a foul on Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who had so often kept his team in contention. Eventually, substitute Patson Daka scored the third late in normal time and Niclas Fullkrug’s stoppage-time header was too little, too late.

As the away fans vented their anger, a subdued Lopetegui stood on the touchline, wondering how many more times he would do this in charge of West Ham. There has been little major spending since the Basque arrived last summer and he could now be facing an uncertain future.