How Leicester did it differently

Leicester’s Premier League win has been like no other.

Claudio Ranieri’s champions have done it their way – and are now celebrating one of the most unlikely title triumphs in football history.

Here, we take a look at how the Foxes diverted from the norm to shock the Premier League’s traditional powerhouses and win their first-ever top-flight crown…

Emerged from nowhere

In the history of the Premier League, every champion – until now – had finished in the top three the previous season. On average, winners placed second before their subsequent win. In contrast, Leicester finished 2014/15 in 14th, 46 points adrift of league winners Chelsea. Their remarkable escape from relegation wasn’t a traditional platform for a title challenge.

Indeed, their much-publicised 5,000/1 title odds illustrate just how far out of the running they were expected to be. It wasn’t until a 3-1 win at Manchester City in February when thoughts of a sustained Leicester title challenge began to gather credence.

A last-gasp defeat to Arsenal next time out was billed as a potentially fatal blow to Leicester’s unlikely hopes – but their response was one of champions, taking 23 points from the next 27 available. Leicester went on to become the first first-time winners of the English top-flight since Nottingham Forest in 1978 – a title win out of nowhere.

Gave up possession and passing accuracy for direct football

Leicester’s victorious season will surely be remembered for their direct, counter-attacking …

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