Claudio Ranieri: Leicester are a basement competing against villas with a swimming pool

Leicester ended 2015 level on points at the top of the Premier League with Arsenal

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Claudio Ranieri insisted Leicester City will fight for the Premier League title in 2016, despite claiming that his team are a ‘basement’ competing against ‘villas with swimming pools.’

Despite failing to score at home in the league for the first time since March while being held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester City, Leicester ended 2015 in second position, behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference.

And although Ranieri claimed that attaining 40 points remains his team’s objective – they are now on 39 points – the former Chelsea manager believes his players can now sustain their challenge for the title.

“2015 was a great year, but I hope that 2016 can better,” the Italian said. “We are there, we would love to stay there.

“We know it is not our position, but we will fight.

"Every match is difficult for us. This league is very crazy...nobody wants to win the league. It's very strange.

"We're the basement and the other teams are a villa with a swimming pool. It's not easy for us but we want to fight with everybody.

"It's a miracle what we're doing. I'd love this to continue but it's not easy. I'd like my players to continue to fight like today.

“It's fantastic. I can only say well done to our players and our fans are unbelievable, they support us and they push us."

Having failed to score during Saturday’s defeat at Liverpool and the stalemate against City, Ranieri warned his players that getting back to winning ways against Bournemouth at the weekend will be more difficult than the game against City

“We need one point to finish our first goal, but believe me, the next match is more difficult than tonight,” Ranieri said. “Bournemouth press well and they played very well at Arsenal. It will be a difficult match.

“For me, it is important to think about Bournemouth and what we can do for the next month.

“We play Bournemouth, Tottenham twice, but we are ready to fight.”