Leicester have won just one of their last four games and the international break is a chance to come back fresh for their trip to Stamford Bridge.
Leicester City’s Leonardo Ulloa shoots at goal
Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa has spoken to the club’s website of the need for The Foxes to clear their heads over the international break before their trip to Chelsea.
Claudio Ranieri’s title defence has not gone according to plan with Leicester winning just two of their opening seven matches, while suffering demoralising 4-1 defeats to Liverpool and Manchester United along the way.
They drew 0-0 with a stubborn Southampton side on Sunday who should have come away from the King Power Stadium with all three points had Charlie Austin decided not to chip Kasper Schmeichel, but Leicester sit in 12th place and 10 points off of leaders Manchester City with their hold on the Premier League title slipping drastically.
Southampton’s Nathan Redmond in action with Leicester City’s Robert Huth
With World Cup qualifiers and internationals now taking over from the league for two weeks, Ulloa thinks it’s the perfect opportunity for his side to go away and come back stronger for their visit to Stamford Bridge.
“It was a difficult game,” he told the club. “They started well and had some chances. It was a tough game for us. They played well and kept the ball and tried to move it.
“We worked hard and had a few chances but I think the point is good for us because they had better chances than us.
“We know that they play well and defend well. They have a different tactical game than us. They play with the ball and it was difficult.
Southampton’s Shane Long in action with Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel
“We need to think forward now and we’re looking forward to the next game. Some players go with their national teams and the others rest but we need to clear our minds and think about the next game.”
Their success last season was the feel-good fairy tale that shook up the football world, but this time around they’ve come crashing back down with a difficult start to the campaign and only one win in their last four.
That win came during their maiden Champions League voyage, with wins over Club Brugge and Porto giving Ranieri’s team a great chance of making it to the knockout stages of the competition, but they need to transfer performances in Europe to England if they’re to have any chance of qualifying again this season.
Should The Foxes go down to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side in a fortnight, that will most definitely signal the end of any realistic title challenge.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy in action with Southampton’s Oriol Romeu and Fraser Forster
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