Sunday 11 December 2016 19:22, UK
Leicester players cannot let Claudio Ranieri down, insists midfielder Marc Albrighton as they look to improve their Premier League form.
The Foxes have won four league games so far this season - including a stunning 4-2 victory over Man City on Saturday - but have lost seven times, which is a stark contrast to their three top flight defeats in the entirety of their title-winning campaign.
They have now put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three - four points above 18th place - and Albrighton believes it is down to the players to return the faith shown by their manager last year to push further up the table.
"For me personally, the hardest thing in football is letting people down," Albrighton told Sky Sports. "Whether it's the fans who have paid their money or your family, the manager or yourself, if you're letting people down, it hurts and the manager is no exception there.
"He's given us success last year and without him, we couldn't have achieved what we did and for him to have done that for us, we need to repay his faith. He's the one we can't let down.
"The manager has been fantastic for everyone involved with Leicester, even just for the city as a whole.
"What he achieved last year with us was fantastic and something that will never be matched. For people to be saying that [being sacked] so early on after what he achieved is obviously ridiculous and I'm sure he won't be too worried.
"He will want to get us playing in the way we were last season and that's what his main focus will be on. It's then down to us players to give him a bit back and not let him down.
"A lot was spoken about our team spirit last year and it's easy to have good team spirit when you're winning every week. Anyone could have it when you're winning match after match.
"Everybody at the club needs to pull in the same direction. Ultimately then, its down to the players to perform on the day and with that, we can't have any excuses. It's down to us."
The good times have kept rolling in the Champions League, however, with Leicester winning all but one of the Group G fixtures and topped the pack with a game to spare.
With the draw for the knockout rounds on Monday, Albrighton is keen for a big fixture with the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain potential opponents.
"It is a great achievement. I know people said we didn't get the hardest group but you've got to be there to beat those teams. They are no mugs, they wouldn't be in the competition if they were," Albrighton added.
"You've got to put it [the loss to Porto] to one side. It puts a bad taste in the mouth. You don't like losing especially in that manner but we've got to be mentally strong about it and just think of the bigger picture that we have qualified.
"I'd probably want to draw Real Madrid. I'd love to play them. You don't think you're ever going to play against a team like that so if we could come up against them, it would be brilliant
"Every single one of the teams we could get have got great history in the competition. They're fantastic clubs and whoever we get, it will be a great occasion for both legs. We have to be confident, take it to the other side and hopefully get a result."
Up next for Leicester is Bournemouth - who fell to a 3-2 defeat at Burnley on Saturday - and they have impressed Albrighton since arriving in the Premier League.
"Since they've come up, they have shown the country the type of football and the type of side that they are. They like to play, they are well organised and some of the stuff they play at times is brilliant.
"The manager there has got them organised and he has created a squad which works for each other, and the drive and passion is there to see.
"It's going to be a tough game, but we've got to match that passion and fight that they've got and that will be all over the pitch."
