Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri admits he is enjoying proving the doubters wrong as his side inch closer to the title.
Leicester will move 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League if they beat West Ham United on Sunday as second-placed Tottenham Hotspur do not travel to Stoke City until Monday.
They were long, long, longshots to win the title at the start of the season and one of the favourites to be relegated after pulling off a great escape last term.
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Ranieri was also tipped to be one of the first managers to lose their job this season after replacing Nigel Pearson last summer and the Italian remembers the naysayers.
“We have to fight and smile because our job is done. We are safe,” he said, with Leicester needing three wins from their last five games to win the league.
“This is a miracle. We are safe. Remember, in the first match Ranieri was first to be sacked and Leicester were first to be relegated. I remember it well.
“I watch just my team and I want my team to have a strong character, not only when things go right, but also when things go badly.
“Life is not always sunshine. Sometimes there is bad weather and you have to stick together.”
Visitors West Ham still have hopes of gatecrashing the top four.
They lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter final on Wednesday and Ranieri believes they can become a major force with their impending move to the Olympic Stadium.
“It is fantastic,Tottenham is also a good story, but of course West Ham is also a good story,” he said. “In a new stadium they can bring in a lot more money.
“Already they have a fantastic team and they can pick up new players to improve again.”
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