Chronicle EditorLEICESTER. — Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has steeled his fairytale-chasing players for a pivotal trip to Manchester United, but believes that there is no match for his team’s “heart and soul”.
Leicester, who dramatically escaped relegation from the English Premier League last season, went eight points clear at the top of the table after crushing Swansea City 4-0 on Sunday and require five points from their last three games to claim the club’s first ever championship.
However, Tottenham Hotspur were expected to trim Leicester’s lead back to five points by beating West Bromwich Albion last night and with United buoyant after their FA Cup semi-final victory over Everton, Ranieri warned that the race was still far from run.
“I’m optimistic, I’m positive. And I know it is not easy because in my mind, Tottenham will win all the matches and then we need five points,” said Ranieri, whose side host Everton in their final home game before finishing the season at outgoing champions Chelsea.
“It’s not easy. Three matches, two away and one at home. And we must be very, very concentrated as well today.”
Leicester were missing 22-goal top scorer Jamie Vardy through suspension against Swansea, but his deputy, Leonardo Ulloa, made sure that he was not missed by contributing a brace, sandwiched by strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton.
Vardy also stands to miss the trip to Old Trafford after accepting a Football Association misconduct charge over his furious reaction to being sent off in the 2-2 draw with West Ham United and Ranieri knows that Louis van Gaal’s United will be a different prospect to sleepwalking Swansea. — AFP.
Online Reporter