Leicester stars handed New Year’s Eve pass by Claudio Ranieri

“It is not the same injury – the same calf – but in a different part”.

However, the expensive and often criticised central defensive pairing produced an accomplished display in the east midlands, keeping Leicester’s leading scorer Jamie Vardy quiet for much of the game, while the Foxes’ other danger man Riyad Mahrez was also reduced to a bit-part role. Manuel Pellegrini’s men came into the contest with a comprehensive victory over Sunderland on Boxing Day. The team has grown in stature, is more mature, more reliable and we won the FA Cup and the Community Shield. “We did more than Leicester to win the game”.

Having last term climbed off the bottom at Christmas to escape relegation by six points, Leicester sacked boss Nigel Pearson and replaced him with the enigmatic Italian.

The 22-year-old, an Argentina Under-20 worldwide, joins Eddie Howe’s team for the rest of the season subject to endorsement from the Football Association and a work permit.

Vardy led the way as Leicester ended 2015 level on points with leaders Arsenal. “We must stay calm and continue to do our job“, he said. “We are building the team, building the personality”, Ranieri told reporters on Thursday. This season we are speaking about being top of the league.

“For me, it is important to think about Bournemouth and what we can do for the next month”. We are very strong at home. “At the end of January and the first week of February, maybe we can see more who are finally the teams which will be involved in the fight”. Nowadays it’s very hard and if you see where our next opponent is in the table they are close to the Champions League positions.

“We came for three points, had more possession, more attempts, did more things to win the game”, said Pellegrini. “After that, if somebody has been better than us, we will accept it, but we want to fight to show that we have a chance”.

Striker Jamie Vardy missed a great chance to put the Foxes ahead in the first-half as the hosts threatened the City defence with their trademark counter-attacking play.

“I know it’s hard but this league is insane”. “Nobody wants to win the league, it’s very odd this league”.

He said: “I will not sell anyone, everybody will stay and I’ll give another two or three gifts to (coach) Vincenzo Montella, as he deserves it. We have been following Kramaric for a year now”.