All Bets Are Off Ahead of Leicester Game

Unless you’re just returning from a phone- and internet-free solitary retreat in a cave, you’ve probably heard the news about Claudio Ranieri. The discussion about whether or not it’s the right move, or even a fair move, is best saved for other times (and also Twitter). Let’s instead talk about the immediate future.

After a horrifically long period of waiting, Liverpool are finally about to start playing games again. We are, of course, hoping that La Manga and the victory against Tottenham had their effects and Liverpool is going to return to the Premier League rejuvenated and ready to win everything.

But Leicester, who have been having a much worse 2017 than Liverpool, may (also) be seeing a revival. Sure, they lost against Sevilla on Wednesday, but Leicester’s performance overall has given the team hope.

"I know we have lost the game, but when the lads came in the dressing room, they are all proud of each other,” Leicester’s Danny Simpson said after the Sevilla loss. "The way the lads are with each other now, it seemed like it was last year, and we have a tough game on Monday to get ready for, but this goal can really do something to the squad.

"It already feels like it has changed something."

Then there’s the added chance of short-term bounce that new managers seems to bring. I don’t think four days (assuming the person is brought in tomorrow morning) is enough for a new manager to have any kind of effect on Leicester’s game, but you never know.

All of this, compounded with the fact that Liverpool are traditionally abysmal against teams lower down the table, should make Monday a nail-biter.