Leicester City

Claudio Ranieri: 'No pressure on Leicester City'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 22 December 2015

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri insists that his side have no reason to feel under pressure despite their unlikely place at the top of the Premier League table.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has insisted that his side do not feel any pressure despite being top of the Premier League table at Christmas.

Tipped by many to struggle this season having only narrowly avoided relegation last term, the Foxes have instead turned the league on its head with a number of scintillating performances.

Talk of a genuine title challenge has grown more serious as the weeks have progressed, but Ranieri has reiterated that the sole focus of the team is still to achieve the 40-point total widely regarded as the number needed to stay in the division.

"The pressure is on the big teams. Leicester had the pressure last season in this period, bad stress. Now they must enjoy it," he told reporters.

"They must play free, without pressure. It's stupid if we have pressure. Why? Enjoy it. All the world are speaking about you.

"When we achieve 40 points we'll stop for one second and have a meeting. Maybe they want to go one side, I want to go one side, we have to go together."

Leicester, who sit two points clear of Arsenal at the summit, have the chance to pass that 40-point barrier when they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Boxing Day.