Hazard warns Chelsea

LONDON. - Eden Hazard has warned 16 first leg loss in Sevilla, a defeat that Chelsea not to lose their focus as the could have been much heavier, was the runaway English Premier League soclast straw amid growing talk of player cer leaders approach the final furlong in unrest at Ranieri’s tactical tinkering. the title race, while crisis-torn champions “It was never our expectation that the Leicester face up to life without sacked extraordinary feats of last season should boss Claudio Ranieri. be replicated this season. Indeed, survival

Antonio Conte’s side are eight points in the Premier League was our first and clear at the top with just 13 games remainonly target at the start of the campaign,” ing and they have a golden opportunity Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivadto extend that lead when they host lowly dhanaprabha said. Swansea today. “But we are now faced with a fight to

Second-placed Manchester City are reach that objective and feel a change is not in action this weekend because their necessary to maximise the opportunity derby against Manchester United was presented by the final 13 games.” postponed due to their rivals’ League Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare Cup final showdown with Southampand Mike Stowell have taken caretaker ton tomorrow. charge ahead of Monday’s clash at the

That gives the Blues a chance to pull King Power Stadium. clear against a Swansea side who will be Liverpool can’t afford any sympathy heavy underdogs despite their impressive for Leicester’s plight as they aim for a rise out of the relegation zone under the win that would take them back into the management of former Chelsea assistant top four. coach Paul Clement. Jurgen Klopp’s fifth placed team ended

However, Chelsea showed a rare sign of a run of five games without a win by vulnerability in a 1-1 draw at Burnley in beating Tottenham and Reds midfielder their previous league match and Belgium Adam Lallana, who signed a new conplaymaker Hazard insists his team can tract this week, is confident of a strong take nothing for granted as they look to finish to the season. regain the title. “We have a world-class manager and

“We just need to keep the same concoaching staff and because it’s Liverpool centration. It’s more difficult to play away there is that added X-factor of the supbecause of the fans, but we are ready, we porters and what success would mean to are professional. We can deal with the them when we achieve it here,” Lallana pressure. Everything is goingsaid.good,” Hazard said. ird placed Tottenham must beat

“We know if we want to be champiStoke at White Hart Lane tomorrow to ons, in our home stadium we have to win keep alive their slender hopes of overmost of our games. We can’t say all 19 hauling Chelsea. because we have already lost to Liverpool, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are 10 but we have to win 16 to 17 because it is points adrift of their London rivals after our place and we are ready to deliver.” winning only one of their last four league

On Monday, Leicester will start the matches. post Ranieri era as the troubled chamSunderland manager David Moyes pions host Liverpool in their first match takes his bottom of the table side back since the Italian’s shock dismissal. to his old club Everton, while second bot

Ranieri was brutally axed on Thursday, tom Crystal Palace face a crucial clash just nine months after Leicester’s incredwith fellow strugglers Middlesbrough. ible title triumph, because the club’s Thai Fixtures (all 5pm unless stated) owners feared relegation was an increasChelsea v Swansea, Crystal ingly realistic prospect. Palace v Middlesbrough, Everton v

The Foxes have lost their last five Sunderland, Hull v Burnley, Watford league games without scoring a single v West Ham (7:30pm), West Brom v goal, plunging them to with one point Bournemouth of the relegation zone less than a year Tomorrow: Tottenham v Stoke after the fairytale success that captivated (3:30pm) the world. Monday: Leicester v Liverpool

A 2-1 midweek Champions League last (10pm). - AFP.