Claudio Ranieri: Jamie Vardy is a ‘fantastic horse’

Ranieri, who was appointed Leicester manager last summer to much derision, has taken the Foxes to within four wins of a first ever league title.

However, the 64-year-old revealed that when he took over his prime objective was to ensure Premier League survival.

“Forty points. That was the goal. That was the total we needed to stay in the first division, to give our fans another season of Premier League football,” the former Chelsea boss said in the article.

Leicester, of course, sit seven points clear with just six games remaining, and Ranieri has put the Foxes’ success down to the exploits of the players, reserving special praise for Vardy and N’Golo Kanté

"This is not a footballer. This is a fantastic horse," he said of Vardy, who is Leicester’s top scorer in the league with 19 goals.

There was also special praise for the Foxes midfield stalwart Kante, whose lung-busting displays in midfield have seen him receive international recognition with France.

The former Valencia manager has a reputation for his slightly idiosyncratic nature and produced a characteristically quirky turn of phrase to sum up Kante’s commitment to Leicester’s cause.

“One day,” he continued. “I’m going to see you (Kante) cross the ball, and then finish the cross with a header yourself.”

Leicester travel to Sunderland on Sunday.