Leicester offers ‘unwavering support’ to manager Ranieri

THE ON-FIELD turmoil engulfing ailing English Premier League champion Leicester led to the club issuing a public show of support for manager Claudio Ranieri on Tuesday.

Leicester has imploded since winning the league so unexpectedly last May and is only a point above the relegation zone having lost 13 of its 24 games.

Just a month after Ranieri collected the FIFA coach of the year award, there has been mounting public discussion over Ranieri's suitability to continue leading Leicester while it scraps to avoid dropping out of the league.

But the club issued a vote of confidence in Ranieri in a bid to draw a line under such doubt.

"In light of recent speculation, Leicester City Football Club would like to make absolutely clear its unwavering support for its first team manager, Claudio Ranieri," the club said.

"While there is a collective appreciation from everyone at the club that recent form needs to improve, the unprecedented success achieved in recent seasons has been based firmly on stability, togetherness and determination to overcome even the greatest of challenges."

Ranieri's immediate priority is keeping Leicester in the FA Cup when it faces secondtier side Derby in a replay on Wednesday.

"The entire club is and will remain united behind its manager and behind its players, collectively and firmly focused on the challenges ahead," Leicester's statement concluded.

The backing was issued just before Ranieri faced reporters. The 65-year-old Italian said he did not ask for the public endorsement from the club, which is owned by Thai retail tycoon Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

"With this it finishes all the speculation," Ranieri said. "For me, my job is always the same _ focus on the next match. For me it's important to try (to find) the right solution for my players, that's it.''

Zabaleta hails Jesus

Newly arrived striker Gabriel Jesus will bring the best out of Sergio Aguero at Manchester City and inject "healthy competition" into the squad, says defender Pablo Zabaleta.

Aguero, the club's top scorer with 18 goals in 26 games this campaign, has been confined to the bench in recent weeks to watch the emerging young Brazilian.

"He (Aguero) will be okay. He's a mature guy. It's not the first time he's been dropped. We need a strong squad to win titles. Football is like this," Zabaleta told British media.

The 19-year-old Jesus has scored three goals and provided two assists in his four games since arriving from Brazilian side Palmeiras last month.

"Especially with the big squads, where you have more than one big player in each position. And of course, Sergio has been playing for most of the years as first choice. Now we have Gabriel Jesus," Zabaleta said.

"I think it's good to have two players with that quality. It's always good to have healthy competition in the team - you know you have to perform well to keep your place in the team and that's normal for the big squads."