HEAT ON RANIERI AS FOXES ARE THRASHED

CLAUDIO RANIERI gambled on a second-string team for this dead rubber and was provided with a lifeless display that cranks up the pressure for Leicester City’s English Premier League return. The Foxes were humiliated in Porto, a result that does not affect the club’s progression as Champions League group winners but could hurt the players’ mental resilience for the relegation battle ahead. Ranieri made ten changes to his starting line-up, with an eye on Saturday’s visit by Manchester City, and had wished to see those given a chance present him with a selection dilemma. But nothing of the sort transpired. This was a reminder of those glamour summer friendlies against Barcelona and Paris SaintGermain, four-goal defeats that told of Leicester’s need to adjust when facing Europe’s elite. PSG are among the sides Leicester could pull out of the hat in Monday’s draw for the last-16 and while the big names will return for that tie in February, Ranieri’s immediate concern will be triggering an upturn in form domestically. With Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Robert Huth among those left back home, only Wes Morgan survived from the defeat at Sunderland four days previously and instead some rarely seen faces populated the team. Ben Hamer’s inclusion in goal was perhaps the most surprising. The 29-year-old’s last senior game of any description was in August 2015 for Bristol City in a Championship defeat by Burnley and his selection casts doubt on Ranieri’s satisfaction with Ron-Robert Zieler as Kasper Schmeichel’s stand-in. Porto needed victory to guarantee passage, with Copenhagen hoping Ranieri’s team could do them a favour by stealing a draw. Leicester were behind within six minutes and it was another set-piece that undid them, in the simplest of ways. Jesus Corona delivered an outswinging cross and Andre Silva appeared to escape Jeff Schlupp to head home. Porto doubled their lead spectacularly 20 minutes later. There seemed little danger when Alex Telles held possession in the corner but he produced a deep cross that went beyond Ben Chilwell and found Corona, who struck the ball on the volley. Leicester’s misery was compounded a minute before the break when Corona slipped in Maxi Pereira on the overlap and his cut-back was met with a delightful flick by the unmarked Yacine Brahimi. Porto added a fourth on 64 minutes. Referee Felix Zwayer judged that Danny Drinkwater pulled down Silva in the box and the striker sent Hamer the wrong way from the spot. A fifth arrived on 77 minutes when Diogo Jota raced clear and finished through the legs of Hamer.