Foxes can still replicate last season’s form – Simpson

Joe Williams

Leicester defender Danny Simpson has insisted the Foxes can recreate last season’s stunning form and dismissed criticism over their title defence.

Leicester maintained their 100 per cent record in the Champions League with Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Copenhagen, but have struggled in the Premier League.

Their domestic title defence looks to be over already as they trail leaders Manchester City by 11 points ahead of Saturday’s visit of Crystal Palace.

The squad also held a meeting to resolve any issues after they were accused of lacking fight following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Chelsea, their fourth reverse of the season after only losing three times during the whole of last term’s shock title-winning campaign.

But Simpson remained confident they can compete on both fronts, with the Foxes on the brink of reaching the Champions League second round.

“Listen, this side can go like last season’s side can go,” said the right-back. “We’ve signed a load of new players – we can go where we want. We’ve just got to do it in both competitions.

“The record we’ve got in the Champions League is great, but we’ve got to make sure we replicate that in the league and we need to push up the table.

“We don’t listen to what’s said out there. We’re a group. We have our meetings, we speak among ourselves – we’re an honest group of lads and we don’t like losing no matter what competition it is.

“It’s pride. Especially after last season when you just get used to winning games and then you take a couple of heavy defeats, it hurts. You go home after the game and that’s all you think about.

“We are going to away grounds and we are the champions. People want to beat us more and more. We need to deal with that give that extra per cent.

“Last season was amazing but we kind of need to forget that now.”

Riyad Mahrez’s winner secured the points over Copenhagen and Leicester will reach the second round with a win in Denmark in two weeks, with the Foxes five points clear in Group G.

Claudio Ranieri’s side are yet to concede in Europe this season, but Simpson is baffled why they have leaked 14 goals in the league.

He added: “I’m not sure. The games where we’ve conceded have been (Manchester) United, Liverpool and Chelsea away. We just need to take that fighting spirit and togetherness that we showed on Tuesday and be like that.”