Title triumph went to Leicester´s heads, admits Ranieri

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri believes the Foxes’ remarkable Premier League success last season has gone to his players’ heads.

Ranieri’s side defied all the odds during a scarcely believable 2015-16 campaign which saw them romp to the title 10 points clear of runners-up Arsenal.

But 2016-17 has been an altogether different story, Leicester languishing just two points above the relegation zone with only three wins from 14 matches.

Qualification to the knockout stages as winners of Group G in their debut Champions League campaign has provided some comfort, but even that European adventure was slightly soured by a 5-0 rout at the hands of Porto on Wednesday.

Leicester face Manchester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday and, asked if he thought some players had got carried away by last season’s heroics, Ranieri was frank in his response.

“Yes, but the players look at the table and know where we are,” he said.

“That brings them down to earth and now we have to react – everybody. The success has gone and we have to react. We have to do a lot more.

“Of course my players will always have another chance because I believe in them.

“We have five more matches before January and after that then we will reflect again.

“It’s not important now to think about the bottom three but it’s important to concentrate, be strong and stay together. The battle is open to a lot of teams and it is important that we react.”