Leicester ready for acid test

Claudio Ranieri believes Leicester will pass an acid test of their title credentials with flying colours when the shock Premier League leaders face Manchester City on Saturday.

Ranieri’s side have provided one of the most captivating stories in the Premier League era with their fairytale rise, but few outside the King Power Stadium believed Leicester would still be in the thick of the title race at this late stage of the campaign.

The Foxes weathered a potentially ruinous slump over the Christmas period as three wins in their last four games catapulted them back to the summit ahead of their seismic showdown with second-placed City at Eastlands.

While doubters questions their ability to last the pace, a Jamie Vardy-inspired 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday, and a recent success at top-four rivals Tottenham, convinced Ranieri his players are embracing the spotlight and won’t wilt under the pressure of battling for their first top-flight title.

“My players are very intelligent in every situation. Maybe everybody believes in something special and they are working for something special. This is important,” Ranieri said.

The closest Leicester have come to being crowned champions was a runners-up finish in 1929, their last major trophy was the 2000 League Cup and just seven years ago they were languishing in the third tier.

In contrast, big-spending City, Premier League winners in 2012 and 2014, have become experts at silverware polishing since they were taken over by their Abu Dhabi-based owners.

City’s 0-0 draw at Leicester in December degenerated in a war of attrition but, buoyed by their midweek 1-0 win at Sunderland, French defender Gael Clichy expects Manuel Pellegrini’s team to impose themselves more successfully this time.

Nothing could underline the unpredictable nature of the Premier League this season better than Leicester’s involvement in a top of the table fixture, while Chelsea’s clash with Manchester United — traditionally a key fixture in any title race is relegated to relative irrelevance.

Chelsea’s stunning fall from grace less than a year after winning the title has left them 16 points adrift of the top four in mid-table obscurity.

United’s campaign has been almost as traumatic, with boss Louis van Gaal repeatedly pushed to the brink of resigning over fan and player unrest at his conservative tactics.

Sitting five points adrift of fourth placed Arsenal, van Gaal’s side desperately need a win at Stamford Bridge to avoid more opprobrium being heaped on the Dutch coach and his players.