Leicester manager Ranieri wants to scare the Premier League

All of this has made the league even more compelling for many neutrals. The result eliminates Leicester from the tournament and sends the Londoners to a meeting at Colchester FC.

Ranieri, whose side are level on points with leaders Arsenal in the top-flight, said: “We wanted to win the first game but it was not possible”.

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has declared the Premier League as “crazy” as he feels his side would have no chance of replicating their form in another country.

Mahrez has missed two successive penalties – in the goalless draw with Bournemouth this month and on Saturday against Villa – and Ranieri intends to hold talks with the 24-year-old.

Hapless Chelsea continue to struggle just above the foot of the league table. That was the start of six successive seasons where the top four didn’t combine for more than 300 points. By no means a finished product; Gray has star-studded potential to become a Premier League wing wizard as he has already showcased his quick feet, turn of pace, terrific dribbling skills, crossing ability and his eye for goal in the Championship throughout the past two-and-a-half campaigns. “There is little reason to believe the hegemony will not continue”. He has proved Leicester’s ambitious Thai owners to be right in backing his credentials, however underwhelming they appeared to be at the time. The Champions League has to be a target. “That gives English sides greater financial clout, a greater sense of security and greater experience of European competition”.

But in two or three years?

Ranieri has been low-maintenance, but with a high dividend and the £1.5m Premier League survival bonus in his contract will have been the easiest cheque ever written by the Leicester owners. He covered more ground than any other City player, and his total of 6.7 miles, measured by EA Sports Performance, was almost three-quarters-of-a-mile more than the average distance covered by team-mate Fernandinho this season. However, not everyone is convinced that the Foxesr have what it takes to qualify for the Champions League, let alone win the title.

Beset by an injury list that left him with no senior central defenders, Klopp was forced to field a young, inexperienced team as the sides drew 2-2 in the first tie.

How things change in the Premier League. “It’ll be a different set of circumstances, a different environment and a different playing surface”. The standard of football maybe entertaining and unpredictable but it is lacking real quality. It may be more a damning indictment of their opponents, the fact that neither Arsenal or City have managed to take advantage of their blip to turn the title chase into a two-horse race.

“It’s a club decision, different possibilities, but we would love to play at Wembley, it’s in London and it’s close – it’s a good option for us but why not Milton Keynes too?”