Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has stressed the importance for his side not to panic after the Foxes suffered back-to-back Championship losses before the November international break.
After notching 13 wins from their opening 14 matches, everything was running smoothly for Leicester as they target an immediate return to the Premier League this season. During this spell, the Foxes went on a nine-match winning streak between September and October.
However, the Midlands outfit lost successive league matches for the first time in the 2023/24 campaign following 1-0 defeats at home against Leeds and at Middlesbrough.
Despite the setbacks, Maresca’s side remain top of the Championship after 16 games and are ahead of second-placed Ipswich on goal difference. In addition, the Foxes have an eight-point gap over Leeds, who are currently third.
When speaking to Sky Sports about his side’s recent defeats, Maresca downplayed the situation and explained that such a situation was inevitably going to come for the former Premier League champions.
“What the players were doing is not normal – winning, winning, winning, so when you lose a game there will be a big noise.
“That is part of football, the process, the league. I always knew we’d lose games. We just need to focus now on what we need to do to try and improve.”
Next up for Leicester City is a home clash with mid-table Watford before successive away games at Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom.
Whilst looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Maresca feels it’s important to reflect game by game and for the players to maintain focus, regardless of form.
“The process stays the same as after we win a game. We just try to analyse what is working well and what isn’t working and try to improve that.
“When we won 13 of our first 14 it was a big achievement. It was the reason why when we lose it is talked about. But I don’t want the players thinking too much about that. We need to be mentally strong and it is normal to lose.”
Writer’s View
There is an air of expectancy for Leicester to keep producing wins following their rampant start to the campaign.
However, the next spell of fixtures is likely to be a defining period in the Foxes season. Any more dropped points and Maresca could come under scrutiny. But, another winning streak will reinforce Leicester’s position as pre-season favourites to win the Championship title.
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