Kasper Schmeichel says Leicester City’s rock-solid defense is the secret to the shock leaders’ remarkable charge toward a fairy-tale English Premier League title.
Claudio Ranieri’s side are within touching distance of becoming the most unexpected champions in English soccer history as they head to struggling Sunderland tomorrow and Denmark goalkeeper Schmeichel has no doubts he and the four men immediately in front of him will lay the foundation for another priceless victory.
Chelsea captain John Terry this week named seven Leicester City players in his vote for the Professional Footballers’ Association team of the year and three of those nominations were for Schmeichel and the club’s centerbacks, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth.
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That trio, combined with fullbacks Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs, have proved an impenetrable obstacle to opposing forwards as the pressure of the title race has mounted, with the Foxes grinding out five 1-0 wins in their past six matches.
“We defend as a team, we are tough to break down. They are an absolute privilege to play behind, those boys,” Schmeichel said. “They throw their bodies in the way of everything, and give us the best opportunity to go and win games.”
If the Foxes win at the Stadium of Light they would open up a 10-point lead over second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who would then have to beat Manchester United at White Hart Lane in London later tomorrow to have any chance of remaining in the hunt.
Ranieri’s men, 5,000-1 outsiders for the title at the beginning of the season, have enjoyed such a trouble-free run-in that they could even be crowned champions for the first time as soon as April 24 against Swansea City if they keep winning and other results go their way.
Spurs have no margin for error after last weekend’s draw at Liverpool, which featured an exquisite equalizer from Harry Kane, but also the frustration of failing to finish off the Reds.
Kane’s 22nd league goal of the season set a new club record in the Premier League era, but the England striker would happily swap personal plaudits for a title winners’ medal and he is determined to keep hunting the Foxes right until the end.
“Any day of the week you’d rather your team win rather than have personal achievements,” Kane said. “For me it is about the team getting as many points as possible. Anything can happen; Leicester will do very well to win every game until the end of the season.”
Arsenal, in third place, make the short trip across London to face West Ham United today knowing they must win to maintain their slender hopes of a first title since 2003-2004.
The Gunners are 11 points behind Leicester with a game in hand and, despite successive victories, boss Arsene Wenger is as focused on securing a top-four finish — they are five points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United and seven in front of West Ham — as he is on an unlikely title charge.
“We know that we need nearly the perfect run and we know as well that we don’t look only in front of us, we look behind us as well,” Wenger said.
Manchester City, clinging to fourth place, will hope the confidence gained from their gritty 2-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw at Paris Saint-Germain can provide the impetus to see off West Bromwich Albion.
Meanwhile, rock-bottom Aston Villa’s seemingly inevitable relegation would be confirmed if they fail to match or better fourth-bottom Norwich City’s result at Crystal Palace.
Aston Villa, who host AFC Bournemouth, are 15 points adrift of safety with six games left and need an incredible combination of results to avoid a return to the second tier for the first time since 1987-1988.
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