Bakary Sako was denied late on and Damien Delaney struck the bar but Alan Pardew’s side ultimately ran out of ideas, as Leicester held on for a win which moves them eight points clear of Tottenham ahead of their meeting with AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
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“That’s the fifth time in six games they’ve won 1-0 so they score that first goal and they’re hard to break down as we found”.
Despite their most unlikely title triumph inching closer, Ranieri says he would not consider a failure to lift the trophy as a disappointment because of the way they have transformed themselves from relegation candidates into top-flight giant killers.
Jamie Vardy’s incredible goal-scoring rate this season is well-documented.
Wenger’s side have been eliminated from the Champions League and FA Cup in the last week and are on a run of one win in eight games in all competitions.
“Step by step”, the Italian said. I make a comparison between the race for the title, and each match. “Until the end, you didn’t know what’s going to happen”, Ranieri added, as quoted by BBC Sport.
Two sides in hugely contrasting form meet at Selhurst Park, as a Crystal Palace side who have forgotten what it feels like to win in the league, host the leaders Leicester.
Ranieri’s role in negotiations between Walsh, Shakespeare and the club illustrates his own commitment to Leicester amid interest from Italy for the soon-to-be-vacant national job. “They’d be worthy champions”.
The Gunners stay 11 points behind Leicester in third and pulled within three points of Tottenham.
“We had second thoughts in every action and Arsenal were, in every single bit of the performance, better than us”, manager Roberto Martinez said.
The worst-case scenario for Arsenal boss Wenger would be wins for both Manchester City and West Ham, which could see the north Londoners drop out of the top four altogether.
Elsewhere, Cesc Fabregas scored two equalisers, the second an 89th-minute penalty, as West Ham United were prevented from climbing to fourth place in a 2-2 draw at outgoing champions Chelsea.
The Hammers remain a point behind Manchester City and Chelsea, who are unbeaten under interim manager Guus Hiddink, stay 10th.
Norwich City won 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion to move three points above the relegation zone and Stoke City beat Watford 2-1 to climb to seventh.
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If in this, their season of seasons, Leicester City eventually win the first league title of their 132-year history, their supporters will always remembers days like these when they sung together long after the final whistle while the stadium announcer pleaded with them to leave Selhurst Park.
