Leicester host Bournemouth on Saturday, while Manchester City play the first of seven games they have in January by travelling to Watford for a 5.30pm kick-off.
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Claudio Ranieri, lovable ex-Chelsea Tinkerman and current manager of unlikely title candidates Leicester City brings some unfortunate tidings if you were interested in seeing either of the Foxes’ stars Jamie Vardy or Riyad Mahrez in Chelsea blue this season. Their top-four ambitions, initially a 1-33 shot, are now rated 10-1.
“It is good for us because big teams play in a lot of competitions, the Champions League, the FA Cup, League Cup and Premier League”.
Following Tuesday night’s goalless draw against Leicester, Pellegrini’s team are without an away win in the Barclays Premier League in six outings since a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on September 12.
Their gritty determined display at home to Manchester City yielded a well-earned point which leaves Leicester joint top level on points with Arsenal at the halfway stage. Leicester, who were on the brink of relegation past year, are behind leaders Arsenal only on goal difference and have taken the league by storm, having won 11 of their 19 matches so far. “It is unbelievable what we are doing, great, great”. We must stay calm and continue to do our job.
“This is another aspect, everyone is saying “top of the league, top of the league” but we are running a lot”.
“We handled him quite well here in the first game [in August] and our defenders will need to be alert because he is one of those players who only needs one chance to have an impact on the game”.
“We will see how long he will be out, but I don’t think it will be less than three-four weeks”, Pellegrini saidon Wednesday. “Bournemouth moved the ball very quickly, but in the second half we were much better”.
“I think Spurs will finish above Leicester as well because of the average age of their squad and [Mauricio] Pochettino has got them playing fantastic football”. However, their results against the teams around them have been less than extraordinary, including the only loss inflicted by struggling Aston Villa on the first day of the season.
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Ranieri admitted he did not expect to reach his goal so soon but now wants his men to eclipse it in the second half of the season. “For us it’s important to concentrate 100%”.
