Leicester City: 9 stats you need to know this season

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Leicester City returned to the Premier League full of optimism, but that dream has started to sour and Nigel Pearson is a manager under pressure.

Leicester City stepped back up into the Premier League as winners of the Championship and confident that they could re-establish themselves among the elite.

They have found the going tough, though, and will open 2015 sat rock-bottom in the top-flight standings.

There have been highs, with Manchester United beaten 5-3 in a thriller at the King Power Stadium in September.

Nigel Pearson was, however, to see his side go 13 games without success after claiming that notable scalp and remains a manager under pressure as he battles to avoid the drop – with the Opta statistics below highlighting a few of the issues he still has to resolve.

Only way is up: No table required here, with the Premier League one speaking for itself. The most concerning stat for Leicester at this stage of the season is their points tally. They have collected just 13 from their 19 fixtures so far – three less than anyone else in the division and a return which leaves them three from safety.

Sprung a leak: Keeping things tight at the back was never going to be easy at the highest level and the Foxes have struggled in that department, with only QPR conceding more goals this term.

Get stuck in: If you have not got the quality to compete with the best then you need to come out on top in other areas. Leicester have not won enough tussles with opponents this season.

Same again: The problems have been on the deck and in the air, with Leicester lacking the physicality to outmuscle opponents when competing for high balls.

Positioning problems: Breaking up attacks is crucial in keeping opponents at bay, and Pearson will be looking for his troops to start making more interceptions and ease the workload for his back four.

Too nice: There is an argument for saying that a lack of yellow cards is a positive, but it could also be a direct result of the lack of challenges being made by Leicester. Do they need a nasty streak?

Jeepers keepers: Kasper Schmeichel is a fine shot-stopper, much like his illustrious father, but he is not the most imposing and does not appear to be a fan of high balls fed into his penalty area.

Radar off: Leicester, Burnley and Crystal Palace are in the drop zone for a reason and it comes as no surprise to find that they are the three sides to have endured the greatest struggles in possession.

Chasing shadows: If pass counts dip, you will inevitably see less of the ball. The same three sides, with Aston Villa thrown into the mix, have spent the least amount of time in possession this season.

It could be a long, hard slog from this point for Leicester City.

They have offered glimpses of what they are capable of, but they require inspiration from somewhere and Pearson needs to prove that he can rebuild confidence and get heads back above water before the plug is pulled on the 2014/15 campaign.