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Claudio Ranieri admits he must rotate Leicester team more after Southampton draw

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Post-match reaction from Claudio Ranieri after Leicester’s 0-0 draw with Southampton

Claudio Ranieri admits he need to reconsider which players he selects for which games after seeing Leicester grind out a draw with Southampton.

The visitors were the better team at the King Power Stadium and created the best chances, with Charlie Austin hitting the post in the first half.

Southampton picked the same team which beat West Ham 3-0 last week having made seven changes for the 4,500-mile round trip to play Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel in the Europa League.

By contrast, Ranieri made just one alteration from the side which defeated Porto 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday and he admits a busy schedule is pushing his squad.

The Italian said: "I have to think when we play every three days and maybe at the end of the 22 days it was much better to give some rest to some players.

Wes Morgan wins a header
Image: Wes Morgan wins a header as Leicester draw 0-0 with Southampton

"Southampton played a couple of days after us but they changed seven players and I changed just one. It's not enough but I'm very happy with a point for this reason.

"The international break is here but how many players will rest with me? Six? Seven? The others go for their international matches.

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"Then they come back two or three days before Chelsea. After that we have the Champions League. I have to think about it."

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Leicester 0-0 Southampton

Ranieri concedes Southampton were the better team and added: "I think they deserved to win and they played better than us.

"We had some chances but they had more and also more of the ball. Kasper Schmeichel made two or three great saves.

"In the first half, they hit the post and we also had a chance but they closed down better and pressed better.

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"In the second half, it was more difficult for us. Of course, we had to continue to work how we are doing every week but I recognise it when others play better than us. For us, one point is okay."

Ranieri, meanwhile, has backed Jamie Vardy to rediscover his scoring touch after he extended his run of games without a goal to six.

By this stage of last season Vardy had scored six goals and went on to get 28 for his club and country but this term he has just three to date.

Oriol Romeu and Jamie Vardy of Leicester City battle for possession
Image: Ranieri has backed Jamie Vardy to rediscover his scoring touch

Ranieri said: "Sooner or later he will go back and start to score. He is working very well during the week."

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