Leicester City – Club Brugge

He is still a relative unknown in Europe, despite earning a Ballon d’Or nomination, and boss Claudio Ranieri said after Mahrez scored twice against Brugge in September the Champions League music had woken the winger up.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri concedes he must do something to help kick-start Riyad Mahrez’s season as player and club continue to struggle in their Premier League title defence.

Leicester needed to conjure a swift reply if they were to revive hopes of a first away league win of the season.

The Foxes resumed following the global break in 14th place, but their travelling supporters – nearly all of them resplendent in matching blue and white woolly hats – were keen to remind their hosts of their status. The hosts seized possession nearly immediately and Pereyra embarked on a wriggly run down the left before clipping in a risky cross.

The Hornets played a 3-4-3 for the first time this season and offered Troy Deeney more support than he has been used to so far during the campaign; and Behrami said it had made their lives easier during the game.

Leicester pressed for an equaliser after the break but could not find the goal that would have secured a second point on the road this season.

While Islam Slimani missed out due to a minor groin problem, Claudio Ranieri made three changes to the side that lost to West Bromwich Albion prior to the worldwide break -Vardy, Daniel Amartey and Marc Albrighton all coming in.

Having opened the scoring after 33 seconds through Etiene Capoue, Watford’s lead doubled in the 11th minute after Roberto Perrerya cut in from the left-wing to brilliantly curl the ball into the top corner. It was a work of beauty, too. The spot-kick had been awarded for a foul on Jamie Vardy despite Miguel Britos protesting that the striker had simply used an untidy challenge as an invitation to tumble.

Before the match starts, Leicester should know whether Danny Drinkwater will be charged in relation to an alleged elbow on Valon Behrami in the defeat at Watford on Saturday.

Vardy was late in trying to intercept a back-pass and clattered into Heurelho Gomes, who resumed after treatment.

A 1 – 0 or 2 – 0 win for Leicester City is the most likely outcome with William Hill and Bet365 offering odds of 6/1 and 11/2 respectively on both results.

Ranieri is not sounding the alarm.

0 to Porto in their last Champions League match and are fourth in Group G with 0 points, five points below Copenhagen. “Now we will show our strength”.

“Maybe there’s frustration. It’s not that we don’t play well, it’s about losing the game”.

Record signing Islam Slimani is definitely ruled out with a groin injury.

“Of course, we lost the match, but the spirit is the same”.