Leicester City have endured a huge collapse this season, standing just one-point above the relegation zone, but it was still a huge surprise on Thursday evening to see Claudio Ranieri dismissed just months after guiding the Foxes to Premier League glory.
With 13 games to go, Leicester need to kick-off a superb run of form to maintain their position in the top-flight but face a huge test on Monday evening when they travel to Jurgen Klopp’s top-four chasing Liverpool.
The Reds remain favourite for the clash with the defending league champions but the dismissal of Ranieri makes it a more difficult tie for the hosts, according to BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson, although he still backs them to secure a win.
“I did not see Claudio Ranieri’s sacking coming and I think it is a really strange time to do it, the day after a game [against Sevilla] in a competition [the Champions League] that they are still in. At this stage of the season, you would have thought they have done it having lined someone else up, otherwise why do it?”
“Why has it happened? Ranieri has made mistakes and probably kept faith with people who helped Leicester win the title last season for too long, but I have to say he seems like he has been let down by his players. I made my original prediction for this game before Ranieri’s exit and, although I have not changed the score, the situation makes it more difficult for Liverpool.”
“There is no doubt there will be more of a unified effort from the Leicester team, whether their new manager is in place or not. It always happens. I still think Liverpool will win, if they play like they did against Tottenham. It suits the Reds when they press teams all over the pitch, and that is definitely the way forward for them.”
Despite a potentially more unified showing from the Foxes, the fact that they have failed to score in the Premier League since the start of 2017 makes their task even more daunting- although Liverpool have hardly been solid at Anfield this calendar year.
Defeat for Leicester could see the Foxes slip into the bottom-three and they could even slip to rock-bottom of the division before the match if Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Hull City all secure victories in their matches.
Liverpool, meanwhile, could move to second in the Premier League if Tottenham lose to Stoke, as Arsenal and Manchester City’s games this weekend have been postponed.
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