Claudio Ranieri: ‘Leicester City respect Club Brugge’

The opening exchanges of the second period were decidedly scrappy and it was not until the 64th minute that another clear-cut chance was created, Zieler doing well to block a close-range header from Pereyra who had been picked out at the back post by Janmaat.

He scored 17 goals last season but though he’s got five in all competitions this time around, he has scored only one in open play in his last 20 matches, the goal in the 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen in Leicester’s last home match in this competition. “The difference is in the Champions League matches we score, in the other matches no”.

Claudio Ranieri’s hopes of restoring the champions’ solidity on the road? Deeney’s flick-on led to Capuoe’s goal.

Nordin Amrabat dragged a low shot well wide with just under 20 minutes to play, before a trio of City attempts were turned away by the Watford back line.

Nonetheless, Ranieri is of the belief that his side have an added advantage after striker Jamie Vardy ended his barren run with a goal for England against Spain during the worldwide break.

The out-of-form Odion Ihgalo was dropped to the bench. But this is our idea, we want to always attack from the beginning.

Last November, Vardy set a record by scoring in 11 consecutive league matches, but ahead of Club Brugge’s visit in the Champions League today, he has gone 13 club games without a goal. Domestic duties must not come second to their continental capers. 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. The supply line from Riyad Mahrez has also dried up with the Algerian finding Vardy with just one pass in the last seven games. The Belgium team have never failed to win a game in a previous CL group stage though.

The Foxes could also become the first team since Malaga in 2012/13 to win their group in their first ever Champions League appearance. Subs: Guedioura 6, Okaka 6.

Continuity has therefore been replaced by chop and change for Vardy, who has started six games alongside Slimani, six games alongside Okazaki and three games alongside Musa.

“I think our reaction was fantastic and we got into the match and tried to do our best until the end but Gomes didn’t have any saves to make”. We have the quality to stay in the Premier League. “We just have to keep going and I know we will win games”.

‘It is true it is a little bit tough because we know we’re not winning games but on Saturday we played good and we didn’t deserve to lose, at least we deserved a point but we lost and that happens in football, ‘ Mahrez said.

“The problem is when we concede”.

“Of course Watford defended very well”.

‘We are getting better.