“Seven matches to go to the end”.
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At the very least, what seems certain for Leicester is a place in the lucrative Champions League for the first time next season. Yes, and now I want to see how the horses run to the line’.
Languishing 11 points behind Leicester, albeit with a game in hand, third-placed Arsenal have no margin for error as they look to finish a dispiriting week on a high as they travel to Everton.
“But I feel that a lot of people say that if they don’t win win the league they hope we will because we play with the right heart and spirit”.
Star winger Riyad Mahrez’s 16th goal of the season in the 33rd minute was the game victor, and handed Crystal Palace their 13th consecutive game without a win after a promising opening half to the season.
Meanwhile, Alan Pardew says Leicester would be “worthy champions” after heaping more misery on Palace.
Leicester’s 3,000 fans were chanting “We’re gonna win the league” long after their side’s 1-0 win at Selhurst Park and while manager Claudio Ranieri refuses stubbornly to acknowledge his side are favourites, few would bet against the Foxes completing the job now.
Today’s opponents, Palace, have not won in the league since mid-December – a run of 12 games – but Ranieri is sticking to his cautious approach. That is what will get us out of it (trouble), our (attacking) DNA.
They showed in the first half why they’re top. They are very strong, disciplined-wise in terms of their defensive duties.
But with Leicester appearing to be sharper in every department, it was always likely to be only a matter of time before they took the lead.
Palace certainly put plenty of effort in as they attempted to end their dismal league form – they are the only club in the top four divisions without a home win in 2016.
Former Newcastle United boss Pardew conceded their next home game, against fellow strugglers Norwich City, could prove key. We have to see the game out.
“We know that we are involved in that (relegation fight), but we have enough in that dressing room to not be involved in it”, said the Palace manager. We are little Leicester City.
After a scrappy opening, Mahrez missed a golden chance to grab the lead on 18 minutes when, having been played in behind the Palace defence by Danny Drinkwater, his low shot was partially blocked by Wayne Hennessey before being cleared.
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“We certainly had more of the Crystal Palace threat in the second half than the first half”.
