Now, they take their unlikely championship charge to Selhurst Park to play Crystal Palace in a game they will want to win to keep up their 5-point cushion at the top.
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Palace have not won in 12 league games, a run that stretches back into last year, while Leicester have beaten Tottenham and Manchester City on their travels since the turn of the year and secured a 1-0 victory when the sides met at the King Power Stadium in October.
Under Claudio Ranieri, the season’s surprise package have lost just one of their past 13 league games, and only three all season. “We have already won, we will play next season in the Premier League”, he told Spanish newspaper Marca. Now we are (qualified for) the Europa League and we are very close to achieving Champions League qualification. Victory over the league leaders this weekend could spark a turnaround but an open approach may also suit Leicester, who have proved themselves deadly on the counter-attack.
“I ask for concentration, to be focused as it’s an important match for us”.
“Everything is in our hands. But we have to take it one step at a time”. “We made a fantastic achievement”.
Leicester remains on track for the Premier League title, getting out to an eight-point lead ahead of Tottenham’s game on Sunday. We have enough in the dressing room to make sure we are not involved, but the bottom line is to get some points quickly. If they were against lower league opposition I might be a bit more concerned.
“They will be hard to catch and they would be worthy champions”. When they start to get picked off – if it happens – then we’ll see what (Claudio) Ranieri has to do. The hosts now are not impressive, and the guests have recently played a very pragmatic.
Danny Welbeck, who had earlier deflected the ball against the outside of the post, latched onto Alexis Sanchez’s superb reverse pass and went around Everton keeper Joel Robles before slotting home.
The win sees the Foxes move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Chelsea remained unbeaten in the league under interim manager Guus Hiddink, but an 11th draw of the season for last season’s champions left them 10th.
Get 14/1 enhanced odds on Sunderland or 8/1 on Newcastle to win on Sunday.
“We know what this game means for the fans”.
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Pardew concluded: “I don’t think there was really much wrong with our performance today, if I’m honest”.
