How far can Leicester City go under Shakespeare this season?
Ask any Leicester City fan back in August what they’d have wanted to take from the season ahead and they’d have been happy with a top 10 finish in the Premier League. Foxes supporters were also no doubt hoping their side could give a good account of themselves in their debut Champions League campaign.
And despite parting ways with Claudio Ranieri after a dreadful run where the Foxes managed just two wins in 15 outings in all competitions, it looks as though the shock Premier League reigning champions will end the year on a high.
Now the last English club still standing in Europe’s elite competition, alongside just seven other sides from the continent, it’s amazing to think that Leicester were as short as 13/8 to be relegated from the top-flight as short as a month ago.
And interim boss Craig Shakespeare has worked Ranieri-like wonders since taking over proceedings in the East Midlands, recording four wins on the bounce in all competitions for the first time this season.
That’s actually something the Foxes only managed to do once last season – so it’s clear the King Power outfit are back to their best.
And having been two points above 20th-placed Sunderland some four games ago, they’re now just six away from Stoke City in ninth – with a game in hand over the Potters.
One of the form sides in the division right now (scoring nine goals in their last three outings), we reckon there’s plenty of value in the 4/1 on offer for Jamie Vardy and co to force themselves into the top 10 come May.
The fixture list has been kind to Shakespeare’s men too. Granted, they still have at least two games still to play in Europe, but domestically they’ll feel confident of achieving a decent tally in their remaining 10 fixtures.
They’ll welcome Stoke to the King Power this weekend before a midweek clash with Sunderland. After that they’ll travel to Everton and Crystal Palace – by which time we’ll have a much clearer idea of exactly how far Leicester can go this year.
But if their performances in recent weeks are anything to go by, there’s only one way this Leicester City side are going between now and the end of the season – and that’s up.
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