Schmeichel: ‘We need to improve or we’re down’

LEICESTER goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has blasted his team’s “embarrassing” title defence.

The Premier League champions are just a point above the relegation zone after slipping to a wretched 3-0 defeat against Manchester United yesterday.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata scored to earn United a comfortable victory and leave the Foxes deep in relegation danger.

Schmeichel said: “It’s not a situation that’s comfortable at all. We’re the reigning champions and quite frankly it’s been terrible, it’s been embarrassing.

“It’s not good enough and it sums our season up at the moment.

“Let’s not talk about last season, last season’s gone, as you can clearly see.

“We have to improve right now. It’s time for every single one of us, right from the top to the bottom of this club, to stand up and be counted. If we don’t, we’re going to end up getting relegated, and nobody wants that.”

When asked about a supposed rift between some of Leicester’s players and manager Claudio Ranieri, Schmeichel added: “I’m not going to comment on any speculation. I know what’s going on in the dressing room.

“We’re a group of players who are low on confidence but certainly not low on fight. We’ll fight to the end, whatever that might be but I can guarantee every player in there is hurting.”

Foxes boss Ranieri dismissed speculation he has a problem with some of his players.

“Last season is something terrific, now we’re Leicester, every time we have to fight, that’s it,” he said.

“We’re together, I have full confidence in the players and also the players are confident with me. They are happy with me.”

Meanwhile, United boss Jose Mourinho has questioned why his style is now appreciated in England.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 15 league games.

And Mourinho, who won the title three times during two spells with Chelsea, asked why his style is accepted this year.

He said: “My team is playing very well.

“However, for many years in my career, especially in this country, when my teams were ruthless and phenomenal defensively and very good in the counter attack, I listened week after week it was not enough, in spite of winning the title three times.

“It looks like this season to be phenomenal defensively and be good at the counter attack is art, so it’s a big change in England.

“I don’t want to change the profile of our play. This is the way we want to play.

“I don’t want to be the manager of a team that plays very well, creates chances and doesn’t win matches. We need to score goals.”