Leicester City have secured their Premier League safety, but Nigel Pearson won’t spend too long celebrating as he turns his attention to next season.
The Foxes looked certain to make an instant return to the Championship not so long ago, but they embarked on a remarkable run of form which reignited their survival bid. A 2-1 home win against West Ham United in early April was the beginning of six wins from seven fixtures, with their only defeat coming when champions-elect Chelsea visited the King Power Stadium.
This loss was followed by a 2-0 win against Southampton last weekend, and a hard-earned goalless draw at fellow-strugglers Sunderland means last season’s Championship winners are now on 38 points. And this will be enough to secure another campaign amongst English football’s elite, after Hull City were beaten at Tottenham Hotspur to leave them on 34 points with a game to play.
It has certainly been a season to remember for Leicester fans, who are likely to recall their memories of that famous 5-3 win against Manchester United back in September for many years to come. It also means they can relax on the final day of the campaign when they entertain Queens Park Rangers, but for Pearson, he is already casting his mind towards the 2015/16 season.
“We have got one game left and then it is about getting the preparation right for next season,” he said on Sky Sports. “There is not a long break between the end of the season and when we start back, but the club is in a really healthy position and we have got to make sure we don’t spend too much time patting ourselves on the back. It has been a tight old season but we go again.”
Leicester City certainly deserve to stay in the Premier League following their sensational run, but what do they have to do to make further progress next term?
