Leicester star Mahrez doesn’t want to leave for Manchester United

“If I understand correctly, Leicester were never top of the league at this time so we are very happy”. Last season, Leicester were a newly promoted club who seemed destined to fall straight back into the second division.

“Leo [Ulloa] has been performing brilliantly for the past two matches, so I appreciate the manager not giving up on me and giving me a chance”, Okazaki said. 1,000/1 to be top at Christmas Leicester City have accomplished that, from cellar dwellars to Champions League hopefuls and title contenders, it certainly has been an wonderful twelve months for Leicester City and their fans.

Ranieri has refused to discuss his team’s title hopes, insisting that 40 points to avoid relegation remains his only target.

But, they did remain unbeaten away from home for the remainder of the season, totalling 13 matches, before succumbing to Chelsea in their first away trip of the Premier League.

The whole season has been one long mission in defying the critics. Not in the post-1992 Premier League era or any time stretching back into the 19th century.

Ranieri’s men ensured the Christmas number one spot with a 3-2 win over Everton – Riyad Mahrez’s brace and a Shinji Okazaki strike maintaining Leicester’s incredible season before Arsenal moved within two points of top spot with victory over Manchester City on Monday.

Could Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy be celebrating a Premier League title in May?

Man City welcome Sunderland to the Etihad, and are in need of a response after a poor showing at Arsenal, while bottom-placed Aston Villa host West Ham. The support Mourinho receives from Chelsea fans, in contrast to the reception numerous players received, tells its own story, as much about the club as it does for so much of modern football.

But Mahrez said: “I do not think that I am going to leave because I feel very good here”.

The Daily Mail is reporting Gunners have joined fellow Premier League giants Manchester United and Tottenham in a list of clubs that have enquired about the Foxes’ willingness to sell the Algerian global. It’s still early days under Klopp and there’s all the time in the world for him to blossom into one of the very best in the world, if he can get that consistency to go with his ability on the ball.