Claudio Ranieri: 'Leicester City must forget fairytale and face up to reality'

Claudio Ranieri has claimed that Leicester City can no longer reminisce about their "fairytale" season and must face up to reality.

After unexpectedly winning the Premier League title in 2015-16, the Foxes are now only two points above the dropzone, with no away wins all campaign.

Leicester take on Manchester United at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, and Ranieri admits that the players must knuckle down, fight for survival, and remain positive.

The Italian told Sky Sports News: "I can understand what we did last season was something special, a fairytale. I was waiting for this kind of season last season. Then we made something extraordinary, out of the world. Everything was fantastic, everything was right.

"Everything now is wrong. Now you have to choose; if you are a loser, you say it's gone. If you aren't a loser you fight, you continue to fight, believe. I believe we can arrive, we must be together, together with the fans. The fans enjoyed last season and less so this season, but we are a family, we are strong.

"The fairytale has finished. Now it is the reality. The reality must come back, and from two seasons ago, the fighting until the end. I believe because my players are champions, and fighters."

Leicester host United having picked up just one win in their last eight league games, losing five of those.