Despite being seven points adrift of safety with just nine matches remaining, Sam Allardyce believes Leicester City can still avoid relegation.
Nigel Pearson led the Foxes to the Championship title last season, and in doing so clinched a return to the Premier League after a 10-year absence. And after a promising start to the new campaign including a famous 5-3 win over Manchester United and draws with both Arsenal and Everton, optimism was high they could adjust to life in the top-flight with comfort.
However, after that memorable success of Louis van Gaal’s side in September, Leicester went on a 13-match winless run, which was only halted when they won at Hull City in December. But this failed to inspire a charge up the table, and they have only collected a maximum haul in one of the last 10 fixtures they have played since that success at the KC Stadium.
With nine games remaining City will need to win the majority of these if they are to avoid an instant return to the second-tier, and they will start their bid with the visit of West Ham United this weekend. But Hammers boss Allardyce is refusing to take anything for granted, and still feels Pearson’s side could repeat Sunderland last season and stay up against the odds.
“At this stage of the season generally, at that level at the lower end of the league, if they can win four out of six, or three out of five they can give themselves a lifeline,” Allardyce said. “Last year it was Sunderland, so that can happen with the performances that Leicester have shown. Leicester will not give up and they’ve still got great hope that they can get out of trouble.
“What we’ve got to do is make sure that is not against us. They are fighting for their lives. Overall, Nigel must be pulling his hair out and saying: ‘Why haven’t our performances given us more results?’ I suppose that shows the cruelty of the Premier League where some teams, who don’t take advantage of things, by not scoring chances, ultimately pay the price.”
Sunderland looked doomed when they lost at home to Everton on 12 April last year, but went on a remarkable five-match run in which they came from behind to draw at eventual champions Manchester City, won away at Chelsea and Manchester United, and also clinched maximum points when they played Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion at home.
After this weekend, Leicester’s remaining programme consists of trips to West Brom, Burnley and Sunderland, and they entertain Swansea City, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Southampton and, on the final day of the season, fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers. And midfielder Dean Hammond believes the games at the King Power Stadium could be the key.
“The home games and the teams we play around us are important,” the 32-year-old told Sky Sports HQ. “We’ve been waiting for this stage of the season really to try and kick on. Five or six wins may do it, it could be a low total this season to stay up, that’s to our advantage. There’s six teams [in relegation battle], they are definitely catchable.”
