Ranieri expects more from Mahrez after contract signing

Speaking to BT Sport after the match, Wenger was non-committal on each incident but highlighted Leicester’s record of winning regular spot-kicks on their way to the title last season.

They go to last season’s shock Premier League champions on Saturday and, ahead of the visit, Ranieri believes Vardy does not need to justify himself to Arsenal.

Mahrez would have been a fantastic signing for Arsenal, as he had a fantastic year last season en route to the PFA Player of the Year award. There are 55 games in a season and if after one game we can not play good football then we can not do our job.

“It is not possible that he can be 100 per cent at the beginning but I was very happy with his job (at Hull)”. It’s great for us that Riyad Mahrez is staying, he’s a big player.

The Leicester boss, 64, told CNN: “We won the title and it was fantastic – but it was a fairytale. Either you give the player a normal holiday and they are not ready to start the championship, or you don’t give them a holiday and they are mentally and physically jaded”, he said. Our owner is very ambitious, he wants to maintain the same squad. He wants to build something, Jamie wants to, Kasper (Schmeichel), everybody.

“He has been outstanding”.

Jamie Vardy will face Arsenal on Saturday for the first time since rejecting a summer transfer advance by Arsene Wenger.

“If you consider the number of goals and assists he had, he had the best combination in the league”.

When asked whether he gave a reason for not joining Arsenal, he said: ‘No.

Their 5-2 win at the King Power last season did end a run of only one win in their last five visits to Leicester. I have a lot of respect for him.

Manager Arsene Wenger admits that the recall of Koscielny is a gamble but it might be a risk worth taking, with captain Per Mertesacker and Gabriel both out injured. Aaron Ramsey who also played in the semi-finals was fielded against Liverpool but was forced off after 60 minutes due to an injury.