Monday 6 February 2017 12:23, UK
Kasper Schmeichel warned his Leicester City team-mates that relegation is a real possibility after the champions' "embarrassing" defeat to Manchester United.
A seven-minute capitulation - which saw United storm into an unassailable three-goal lead thanks to goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata - condemned the Foxes to a fourth straight league defeat on Sunday.
After last season's fairytale title triumph, Claudio Ranieri's men - now just one point clear of the relegation zone - face a battle to remain in the division, as a forthright Schmeichel admitted.
"It's time for every single one of us, from top to bottom, to stand up and be counted because if we don't we will end up getting relegated. Nobody wants that," he told Sky Sports.
"We played OK in the first 40 minutes but after that it was unacceptable. You can always go one down but you can't go two down straight away.
"We have to improve right now. It's not good enough and sums our season up at the moment."
Asked if such a performance would have occurred during last season's title-winning campaign, the Foxes goalkeeper replied: "Let's not talk about last season, last season is gone as you can clearly see. Last season has gone.
"We need to stand up and be counted because this season from top to bottom hasn't been good enough. A lot of factors go into it but this season hasn't been good right from the start."
Leicester's alarming descent has seen Ranieri's position at the King Power Stadium come under intense scrutiny, despite ending the club's 132-year wait to be crowned champions last term.
Reports of a player revolt against the Italian are way off the mark according to Schmeichel, who insists his team-mates are willing to fight themselves out of trouble.
"I'm not going to comment on any newspaper speculation," he added.
"I know what's going on in the dressing room and we're a group of players who are low on confidence but certainly not low on fight.
"We will fight until the end, whatever that may be. I can guarantee every player in there is hurting, it's not a situation that is comfortable at all.
"We are reigning champions and quite frankly it's been embarrassing."
