Michael Appleton "a little surprised" by Craig Shakespeare dismissal

Leicester City caretaker boss Michael Appleton has said that he is working hard to try to get his players and staff "concentrated" on Saturday's match with Swansea City.

On Tuesday, the Foxes announced that they had parted company with manager Craig Shakespeare after just six points were recorded from eight Premier League matches.

Appleton - who has been placed in temporary charge - has admitted that he was "a little surprised" by the club's decision, but suggested that his full focus needs to be on the clash at the Liberty Stadium.

The 41-year-old told reporters: "Similar to most people, I was a little surprised, but the old adage is that nothing surprises you in football and that is a phrase which gets used quite a lot up and down the country at whatever level.

"You find yourself very quickly being put into a situation where you have a group of staff and players who you have to get prepared very quickly, and get them concentrated on what is obviously a big game on Saturday."

Appleton enjoyed a successful spell as manager of Oxford United before being appointed as assistant to Shakespeare earlier this year.