Shakespeare: All managers four games from the sack

Craig Shakespeare has delivered a stark verdict on the pressures of the Premier League after claiming managers are only four games away from a crisis.

Shakespeare’s honeymoon period since replacing Claudio Ranieri is over after one league win this season, with some Leicester supporters questioning whether he will survive the campaign.

Leicester face West Bromwich Albion tonight, with Shakespeare under pressure to deliver a victory and the club in the relegation zone.

Frank de Boer was sacked by Crystal Palace after just four league games this season, but Shakespeare has admitted that is now the norm.

“It’s the reality, we all understand that you can draw four games on the trot and the spin becomes you haven’t won for four games,” he said. “With the amount of coverage on TV and radio, social media and online comment, it’s normal now to be questioned after four games.

“The key thing is don’t try to get too agitated and upset if people don’t like the way you’re doing things – of course it’s lovely to be well liked, but for every pat on the back there’s a kick up the bum coming in a week’s time.

“As long as you’re quite level with your highs and lows, you’ve got to maintain that because ultimately it’s the players and the owners who will have a bearing on how you succeed.”

West Brom’s head coach Tony Pulis is also under scrutiny from a section of supporters after three wins from the last 19 league games. While Pulis has never been relegated as a manager, his tactics continue to be a source of frustration for some fans. He said: “There’s such a thin line between success and failure, those lines are drawn in your favour or against you. You’ve got to keep going and keep believing in what you’re doing, and hopefully things will turn.”

Albion appear set to be without goalkeeper Ben Foster to the trip to the King Power Stadium, after the former England international suffered a knee injury in training.