Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri: 'Pressure on other title contenders'

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has claimed that there is much more pressure on the Foxes' Premier League title contenders as the season approaches its run-in.

Leicester go into Sunday lunchtime's match at third-placed Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table, and that lead will be extended to seven with 12 games to go should they win at the Emirates and other top-four sides Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur draw in the final match of the weekend later that day.

Leicester won seven of their final nine matches last season to stay up, and they have stunned the so-called big boys this year and only lost twice all season. One of those defeats was at home to Arsenal in September, but Ranieri feels that the pressure is on the Gunners this weekend.

"The pressure is for the other teams, not us," Ranieri told reporters. "The money and the big gap? We have pressure for our little gap, Arsenal has more pressure because they have spent more money.

"Tell me why I must feel pressure? We are close to continuing to dream with our fans, nobody wake us up please."

Last Saturday's 3-1 win at Manchester City saw Leicester become the bookmakers' favourites for the title for the first time having started the season at odds of 5000-1.

"This time I hope the bookmakers are right," Ranieri added. "They're just words though, not points. Give me points."

Ranieri also confirmed that January signing Daniel Amartey will not feature against Arsenal as he continues to gain match fitness.