Derby vs Leicester: Forget the FA Cup, Claudio Ranieri told to concentrate on the Premier League survival by Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Just eight months on from unparalleled title success, the Italian is starting to feel pressure from above
CLAUDIO RANIERI faces a massive FA Cup banana skin tonight — after being warned he MUST keep the Foxes up.
Leicester make a fourth-round trip to Derby in full-blown crisis mode , eight months on from their title triumph.
Yet chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha has told Ranieri Prem survival is his priority, not the Cup.
With his flops only five points above the drop zone, Ranieri admitted: “My chairman said, ‘Please, 40 points. Then afterwards, if something happens, that’s OK’. But he knows my ambitions well.
“Of course he’s not happy. That’s normal — he’s chairman.”
The Tinkerman has worked such wonders that ‘little’ Leicester have just been named among the world’s top 20 richest football clubs.
Yet all the Foxes’ 5,400 travelling fans will be worried about tonight is getting one over local rivals Derby.
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Ranieri, 65, said: “If you think what these guys have done in the last three years, it’s amazing.
“They won the Championship title, then fought to avoid relegation and the next season won the Prem.
Now we have to stay strong.”
Ranieri confirmed he spoke with unsettled Leo Ulloa after the striker’s agent branded him a “liar”.
The Foxes chief said: “He’ll stay unless a club pays what is right.”
Islam Slimani and Riyad Mahrez are back from African Nations Cup duty with Algeria.
Slimani is crocked tonight, but Wes Morgan should start despite playing every minute this season.
Asked about his skipper, 33, Ranieri said: “I asked him if he wanted a rest and he said, ‘No’.”
Meanwhile, Steve McClaren fears keeper Kasper Schmeichel could kill his Rams’ Cup dream.
McClaren coached Kasper’s iconic dad Peter at Manchester United. And the Derby boss said: “It’s strange United didn’t sign Kasper. At Leicester he feels loved and has blossomed.”