THE ODDS FAVOUR CONTE FOR HAT-TRICK OVER RANIERI
LONDON: Several bookmakers had suspended betting on Antonio Conte being sacked as Chelsea manager the last time the Italian’s side played compatriot Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City in the Premier League.
The run-up to that October clash at Stamford Bridge now sounds like an echo from another era for both managers as they prepare for what should be another lively evening at the King Power Stadium tonight.
Then, Chelsea were only seventh in the table with 13 points from four wins, a draw and two defeats and their boss found himself on the defensive, trying to make light of all the speculation.
A supportive Ranieri ventured to suggest that Chelsea, the side he once managed, were still likely to finish in the top four.
Now, Conte arrives at what was once a fortress for the Foxes cushioned by a five point lead over Liverpool at the top of the table and a run of 13 league wins in a row ended only this month by Tottenham Hotspur.
Conte, whose side hammered Leicester 3-0 in that October 15 battle of the last two champions after also beating them 4-2 in the League Cup third round in September, is now up for a hat-trick of wins over Ranieri’s struggling side.
Chelsea are also clear favourites to reclaim the title taken from them last season.
Leicester, who were 12th in October with just two wins from seven league games, are now 15th and six points off the drop zone with only three more victories to their credit during the intervening three months.
They are also without African Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani, both on African Nations Cup duty with Algeria, and Ghana midfielder Daniel Amartey.
The odds on Ranieri being the Premier League’s next managerial casualty are now 25/1 on SkyBet, with Conte the least likely at 150/1 along with Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.
Today’s match will also mark a return for N’Golo Kante, Leicester’s ever-running midfield motor last season who has played an equally impressive and important role since switching to Stamford Bridge.
Ranieri believes Champions Leicester City have struggled to maintain focus in the English Premier League this season and have found it easier in the Champions League due to the tournament’s shorter format.
Leicester have failed to build on their title triumph.
“It’s not been easy, but luck has played a part too. Last season, every time our opponents created chances they missed them, but now they’re all going in,” Ranieri said when asked about the dip in form.
Leicester, who face Spanish side Sevilla next month in the last-16, lost just once as they topped their Champions League group but their Premier League campaign has been a stark contrast, having lost nine times, so far.
“It’s also true, though, that we maybe haven’t been as focused in the Premier League because we’ve been thinking that we’ll bounce back from every defeat without any problem.
It’s been different in the Champions League,” Ranieri added.
“It’s a new tournament for us, and shorter too, which has helped us to focus.”