Merson predicts Leicester will suffer ironic fate this season

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Paul Merson believes defending Premier League champions Leicester City will do a Chelsea this season, which will in turn help…Chelsea.

Leicester City parade the Premier League trophy

The Foxes completed the most remarkable league title win in English football history last season at odds of 5,000/1.

Claudio Ranieri’s men are widely credited with reinvigorating the Premier League and giving hope to other less fancied clubs.

The fairytale title triumph came against the backdrop of Chelsea’s spectacular fall from grace under Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea sacked Mourinho for last season’s collapse

Fairytale title triumph came against a backdrop of Chelsea misery

The Blues, like Leicester, were defending champions and expected at least another tilt at the Premier League crown.

Instead they imploded, Mourinho was sacked and the West Londoners ended up finishing a lowly 10th.

Now former Arsenal hero and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has delivered his verdict on how the two Blues will fare.

Paul Merson

‘Leicester in for hard season’

“I think Leicester will be in for a hard season, but they’ll definitely be in the middle of the table (11th),” Merson told Sky Sports.

“I certainly wouldn’t expect a relegation battle at all, but with Champions League football each week it will be hard for them to finish high up.”

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri

An ironic twist?

While Merson has the Foxes in mid table, he thinks Ranieri’s side will somewhat ironically be deposed by the team they deposed last season, Chelsea.

Ranieri’s Italian countryman and taskmaster Antonio Conte has taken over at Stamford Bridge with expectations high.

The former Juventus and Italy boss has even weakened Leicester by signing one of the stars of their title-winning campaign in the shape of midfield workhorse N’Golo Kante.