Falling from grace is a long distance. A little more than a year ago, the whole town of Leicester City was celebrating an historic event: the Foxes had succeeded, against all odds, to win the Premier League title for the first time in their history.
We all remember the story that moved and inspired the entire soccer universe: Led by manager Claudio Ranieri, a team recently promoted had done the unthinkable, beating huge powerhouses like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
Barely a year has passed since then, but many things have changed. Claudio Ranieri was sacked in February 2017 as Leicester City lost six games in a row, sitting only one point above relegation zone. Craig Shakespeare was then appointed manager.
Here’s how things are looking in for the Foxes now: After eight matches played, they have only managed to win one game, drawing three times and losing four times. They have a total of six points and sit in the 18th spot, well into the relegation zone.
@LCFC | Twitter
As Leicester City hosted West Brom at King’s Power Stadium on Monday, the Foxes were in serious risk of losing at home for the third time in a row. The situation worsened as Nacer Chadli scored a beautiful free kick for West Brom in the 63rd minute.
It was Riyad Mahrez, a hero for the Foxes in the 2016 season, who saved the day for Shakespeare’s side scoring a late equalizer. It was Mahrez’s first EPL goal of the season.
Leicester City may have rescued a valuable point against West Brom, but it is certain that pressure will keep building for Shakespeare, whose derriere is pretty much on the line.
Regardless of what happens with their current manager, the Foxes have some serious improvement to do in the following months if they don’t want to consummate a dramatic fall from the mesmerizing heights they reached in 2016 to a level as low as the English Football League Championship next year. At least Mahrez seems to have awoken now.
The18 Recommends For You
