The post-Claudio Ranieri era will begin at Leicester City on Monday night when they welcome Liverpool to the King Power Stadium.
The title-winning Italian was sensationally sacked by the Foxes earlier this week with the club sitting just one point above the relegation zone following a six-match winless streak.
Leicester
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It was one of Liverpool's favourite sons, John Lennon, who sang that "the dream is over", and for many Leicester supporters that is how it will feel when the Merseysiders visit the King Power on Monday night.
Fairytales usually end with a happily ever after, but for Ranieri it has quickly turned into a nightmare, with the Italian's departure from the club being one of the most brutal and controversial sackings in recent times.
Just nine months on from the greatest moment in the club's 133-year history, and arguably one of the biggest achievements in sporting history, the man who masterminded Leicester's scarcely-believable title triumph against 5,000-1 odds has been relieved of his duties.
Liverpool's last visit to the King Power provided one of the enduring moments of their miraculous season when Jamie Vardy thumped home a spectacular volley from range - perhaps the best example of Leicester's players performing feats above and beyond anything they had managed before.
That has simply not been the case this time around, though, with Vardy's hat-trick against Manchester City the only fleeting reminder of his record-breaking form last term and the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and Wes Morgan also struggling to get anywhere near their heroics of 2015-16.
Player power has been blamed for Ranieri's exit, and there is no doubt that those out on the field should shoulder much of the blame for the form which ultimately cost the Italian his job.
The Champions League has provided solace for the Foxes throughout a turbulent campaign, and despite a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday, Leicester are still well-placed to continue that part of their fairytale having registered an away goal in Spain.
The fact that Ranieri will not be in the dugout to oversee the second leg will rankle for many fans, and the outcry from football supporters far beyond those who wear Leicester blue has been tantamount to mourning since the popular 65-year-old was given his marching orders.
Whether the board's cut-throat decision was right or wrong, a change of some kind was needed at Leicester. The likes of Swansea City and Hull City have benefited from managerial shake-ups in recent weeks, and their revival, coupled with Leicester's dreadful run of form, has seen the gap to the bottom three cut to just one point.
Defeat on Monday would see the Foxes become only the second defending top-flight champions - after Everton in 1928-29 - to lose six consecutive league games, while they have failed to even score a Premier League goal in their six outings since the turn of the year.
The danger of becoming the first champions to be relegated since Manchester City in 1938 was enough to convince the board to part company with Ranieri, but Leicester could find themselves sitting bottom of the table before they even kick off against Liverpool should Hull City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland all win on Saturday.
It looks to be a huge task for caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare, with a reportedly divided group of players to unify and an angry bunch of supporters to placate in his first ever Premier League match as a manager.
The plus point for Shakespeare is that this match comes at the King Power Stadium, where Leicester have collected 18 of their 21 points this season, although they have lost the last two by a 3-0 scoreline and are in danger of falling to three consecutive home league defeats for the first time since December 2014.
It is possible that Ranieri's departure could lift some of the pressure off the players - particularly if they truly felt that a change was needed - but defeat to Liverpool on Monday night will only exacerbate the ill-feeling that has greeted the decision and could plunge the Foxes into even deeper trouble.
Recent form: DLLLLL
Recent form (all competitions): LLWLLL
Liverpool
© SilverHub
Such has been the furore surrounding the Ranieri news that Liverpool will come into this match under the radar - something which could nicely deflect from their own poor run of results since the turn of the year.
Nevertheless, Monday promises to be a big test for the Reds as they look to disprove the theory that they can only play at their best against the big teams.
In truth, there is weight behind that suggestion. Liverpool have lost to Swansea, Hull and Wolverhampton Wanderers so far in 2017 but managed to take points off Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, with the latter result giving them their first Premier League victory of the year.
Sadio Mane's brace at Anfield was a timely return to form just when it looked as though Jurgen Klopp's side could be falling behind in the top-four race, and victory at the King Power on Monday will guarantee that they finish the gameweek in the Champions League places due to Manchester City not being in action.
However, the Reds have a history of failing to back up good results in recent weeks, drawing with Sunderland after beating Manchester City, losing to Swansea after a draw with Manchester United and losing to Hull after holding Chelsea to a stalemate.
Liverpool have only won two of their 11 outings in all competitions so far in 2017 - a run of form which has eliminated them from the Premier League title race, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
However, a visit to the champions - however troubled they may be - might be enough to get Liverpool into their big-game mentality, and the Reds have won more away games against reigning Premier League champions than any other club (8).
Klopp's side have not won a Premier League away game since beating neighbours Everton at Goodison Park before Christmas, though, with their only away win in any competition since December 19 coming against League Two side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.
It is approaching a crucial stage of the season for Liverpool, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton to come in three of their next four after this game, and Klopp will not need telling that his side cannot afford another dip like they had before the Spurs win.
Recent form: DDLDLW
Recent form (all competitions): LLLDLW
Team News
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Caretaker boss Shakespeare will hope to have record signing Islam Slimani available for Monday night after the striker returned to training this week following a groin injury.
Both Slimani - who was the last person to score a league goal for Leicester - and Leonardo Ulloa - who threatened to go on strike in the hope of forcing through a January move - will undergo late fitness tests and should provide competition for Vardy, who has only scored in one of his last 18 Premier League outings.
Liverpool, meanwhile, could welcome Dejan Lovren back into the squad after he missed the last two games with a knee injury.
The Croatian defender is expected to return to full training on Saturday having seen a specialist in Germany this week, but is likely to start on the bench against Leicester.
Daniel Sturridge should also be involved having overcome a virus that forced him to be sent home from the club's warm-weather training camp in La Manga, while Georginio Wijnaldum and Lucas Leiva are expected to be available following recent niggles of their own.
Leicester possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Ndidi, Drinkwater, Mahrez, Okazaki, Slimani; Vardy
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Clyne, Matip, Klavan, Milner; Lallana, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Coutinho
Head To Head
Leicester have won just one of their last nine meetings with Liverpool across all competitions - a run which stretches back to 2001. However, that solitary victory came in the corresponding fixture last season, and another win for the Foxes on Monday would give them back-to-back home league wins over Liverpool for the first time since August 1972.
The reverse fixture this season was Liverpool's first under their new Main Stand at Anfield, and they put on a show for the supporters as Roberto Firmino (2), Mane and Adam Lallana were all on the scoresheet in a 4-1 victory that also saw Vardy net for the visitors.
However, Liverpool have not beaten Leicester home and away in the same season since 2001-02, when a Robbie Fowler hat-trick helped them to success at Filbert Street.
We say: Leicester 0-2 Liverpool
Will Leicester respond to Ranieri's sacking? Will Liverpool avoid another setback to follow a positive result? How will the fans welcome the players accused of contributing towards Ranieri's departure? There are too many questions hanging over this game to make a prediction of any real confidence, but if Liverpool perform to their best then all of the other factors may become irrelevant.
Barney Corkhill
