Ranieri unfazed by who loses in London

LEICESTER CITY’S bid to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League has been given an unexpected boost before today’s trip to Watford, with influential midfielder N’Golo Kante returning to training from a hamstring injury.

Kante, who played every league game before missing Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion, had been expected to miss the Watford game, but manager Claudio Ranieri said yesterday that the Frenchman could return ahead of schedule.

“N’Golo Kante today made all of the training session and was good. Tomorrow I will decide. He could play,” the Italian said.

Leicester dropped points in midweek, but title rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City all lost, allowing the Foxes to open up a three-point lead at the top.

Third-placed Arsenal visit local rivals second-placed Tottenham today, but Ranieri said he would pay no attention to the North London derby.

“Can both lose?” he asked. “We have to concentrate on Watford.

“There are 10 matches left. It will be a big battle. Every match. Nobody can enjoy. Everybody must win.”

Leicester are pushing for their first league title and Ranieri said his team would have to neutralise Watford’s inform strike force of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, who have scored 22 of their team’s 29 league goals this season.

“Attacking and defending, Watford play together. They play narrow and play very high,” he said. “They have not only Deeney and Ighalo. They are a good team with a good manager. There are so many good players in the squad.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea must end their hire- and- fire approach and make sure the club’s next manager is a longterm appointment, interim boss Guus Hiddink said yesterday.

The Dutchman has overseen a dramatic turnaround in fortunes, helping the champions climb to 10th in the Premier League after they were struggling one point off the relegation zone when he replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho in December.

Chelsea have changed their manager 10 times since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich became owner 13 years ago with 2005, 2006 and 2015 league winner Mourinho serving two spells at the helm and Hiddink twice operating in an interim role.

“The club has to go in a new way where it is not on short spells,” Hiddink told a news conference ahead of today’s game against seventh-placed Stoke City at Stamford Bridge.

“I think now they have to go into a new era of Chelsea where managers have more than one or two years.”

Media reports have suggested Italy coach Antonio Conte will take over when Hiddink’s interim spell in charge is completed at the end of the season. The Dutchman played down reports the players had already been told Conte would be the next manager.

Whoever takes over at the end of the season, Hiddink said he would still make regular appearances back at Chelsea. – Reuters