Ranieri: We Have To Fight

- The City boss was happy to start February on a positive note following the 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday 

- The pressing of Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy has been amazing this season, according to Ranieri 

Claudio Ranieri hopes his Leicester City side will continue to show their fighting spirit at Etihad Stadium against Manchester City on Saturday, regardless of the result. 

The Foxes have been nothing short of excellent under the Italian’s stewardship this season and only a defeat in Manchester on Saturday would knock them off the Premier League’s summit. 

City could be in a much more favourable position should they emerge with three points themselves, with a win taking them at least five points clear of second place. 

That would be a huge step, but all Ranieri wants his men to do is to continue to battle, and with it will come positive results. 

He said: “It is important to see my players fight and try to win. Then we know sooner or later we lose a match but it is not important. It is important how we lose the match. 

“If there is a great goal from our opponents then well done, but we have to fight. If Manchester City fight more than us then well done to them. 

“Now I am very curious because Saturday we have to run, run, run. Against City it will be another tough match. But it was important to start this month well [against Liverpool].” 

City’s relentless pressing has been the trademark of their style of play this term and Ranieri praised strikers Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy for the energy they have brought to the team. 

Ranieri added: "The transformation in Shinji [Okazaki] is fantastic because he gives us the extra energy. He never stops running or pressing. 

“You imagine I have in front [Jamie] Vardy and Okazaki who press together. The other team-mates behind them think ‘oh, the strikers press we go together’. It is amazing and he (Okazaki) is doing a fantastic job for us.”