PUEL FACING AXE AFTER PALACE THRASHING
CLAUDE PUEL is heading for the sack as Leicester manager after senior club figures were left visibly furious by the 5-0 thrashing at Crystal Palace. They are understood to have held an inquest after Saturday’s game and sources believe the defeat will prove a watershed moment in deciding the Frenchman’s fate, with a summer parting highly likely. To stand a chance of staying on, Puel needs a strong finish to the season and a return to the high-energy pressing that brought four straight wins soon after he took over from Craig Shakespeare in October — beginning with Saturday’s visit by West Ham. Puel has introduced a more methodical system of building from the back, causing frustration among players and fans, just as it did at Southampton last year, where he was sacked after one season despite finishing eighth in the Premier League and reaching the EFL Cup final. Supporters called for Puel’s removal after the Palace defeat left Leicester with 18 points from 18 games and unable to achieve their target of Europa League qualification. His approach has drawn significant criticism, particularly his limited communication, frequent changes to selection and a failure to inject intensity into training. Some players are delaying decisions over their futures until the situation becomes clearer.