Foxes boss Ranieri: Yes, we are in a fight for survival now
Manager of the year Claudio Ranieri admitted Leicester CIty are in a relegation battle after losing 2-1 at Sunderland.
The champions have the worst away record in the Premier League and are now just two points above the drop zone.
“I think now there are a lot of teams involved in the battle and if you win twice, you are out,” said Ranieri. But asked if the Foxes are one of the teams he referred to, he said: “Yes, I know, I know.”
The Italian has led Leicester to the last 16 of the Champions League, but domestically he says “everything is wrong”.
“It’s difficult,” said the 65-year-old, whose side were beaten by Robert Huth’s own goal and a Jermain Defoe strike. “Everything last season was right, starting with luck; this season, everything is wrong.
“But we must continue to work hard and maintain the right balance in ourselves, believe in ourselves. The battle is long, but that’s football, sport.
“There are good moments, bad moments and in the bad moments, we must stay together as we are.”
It was Leicester’s fifth Premier defeat immediately before a Champions League fixture, but he denied that the players are trying harder in Europe, “Look, I think we play at the same level in the Champions League and the Premier League,” he added.
“But in the Premier League, the first opportunity for the opponent, they score a goal and we have missed chances.
“In the Champions League, it is different. Maybe the opponents miss a chance and we score a goal. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s the reality because our effort’s the same.”