Dean Smith is set to take charge of Leicester for the first time when his side travel to title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday evening.
The 52-year-old was appointed as the new Foxes boss until the end of the season on Monday following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers earlier this month. Leicester currently sit in 19th, two points off safety and without a win in eight Premier League matches after being beaten 1-0 against Bournemouth last time out.
Smith has been given the difficult task of trying to keep a confidence-ridden Leicester side in the top-flight - and has just eight vital games to achieve that feat. But can ex-Aston Villa manager perform a mini-miracle and rescue the Foxes?
He performed a similar turnaround during his time at Villa when they were two points behind 17th-place Watford with 10 games to go in the Covid-hit 2019/20 season. The Villains managed to climb out of the bottom three and stay up in the Hornets' expense, with Norwich and Bournemouth also going down.
There is no reason why Smith can't do that again, especially given the quality Leicester have in their ranks. James Maddison has been one of the most in-form midfielders this term, while Harvey Barnes, Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans have all been linked with moves to 'big six' clubs and have quality on their day.
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James Maddison has scored nine goals and grabbed six assists so far this season (Getty Images)However, too many Leicester players simply haven't delivered for the vast majority of the season and Smith must change that. The Foxes started the campaign off horribly, and were without a win in seven Premier League matches before thrashing local rivals Nottingham Forest 4-0 in early October.
They managed to back that up by winning four of their next seven and went into the World Cup break with a healthy cushion between them and the relegation zone. However, the Foxes have been nothing short of shambolic since the tournament and boast the worst record out of any side in the division in that time.
Leicester have won twice, drawn twice and lost 11 of their 15 matches - a run that seen them drop all the way to second bottom. Only Southampton (23) have picked up fewer points than the Foxes' 25 this season, with Nottingham Forest (27), Everton (27) and Leeds (29) just above them in the table.
Brendan Rodgers was sacked at Leicester earlier this month (Getty Images)Rodgers was dismissed from his role as Foxes boss on April 2 following Leicester's 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace, and many Foxes fans have held him at fault for their decline this season. The Northern Irishman guided the Foxes to back-to-back fifth place finishes and a modest eighth last term, but it has been a major drop off in 2022/23.
Adam Sandler and Mike Stowell were put in caretaker charge for the home games against Villa and Bournemouth last week, but the Foxes could not respond and lost both matches - putting them more in the mire. Smith was handed the job alongside his assistants, Craig Shakespeare and John Terry, on Monday.
Speaking on his arrival, Smith told the Leicester website: "I'm really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season. The challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much achievable.
Leicester boss Dean Smith (Getty Images)Will Dean Smith keep Leicester in the Premier League? Let us know in the comments below!
"Our first job is to rebuild confidence and instil belief in the team and I’m looking forward to getting to work with the players this week. Saturday will be a big test, but it's the kind of occasion that reminds us all what it means to be a Premier League club, competing on the biggest stages against the best players in the world.
"I know we'll be well supported by our travelling fans. We have to connect with that and give them a performance they can be proud of. We go there positive, looking for points."
Smith will need to reinstall the confidence in the Foxes side ahead of his first game in charge against Man City on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's side have won their last five Premier League matches and thrashed Southampton last time out, with Erling Haaland on a staggering 30 top-flight goals.
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Dean Smith (Getty Images)This will no doubt be a tricky test for the Foxes, but they do have some winnable games on paper after the trip to the Etihad Stadium. Leicester face Wolves at home, travel to Leeds and host Everton within a nine-day period - a week that will be defining in the Foxes' date this season.
They must pick up a couple of victories in those matches - as they face Fulham, Liverpool and Newcastle in the following three after the clash with Everton at the King Power Stadium on May 1. Leicester's final game of the season sees them host West Ham - another team that have been dragged into a relegation dogfight.
Leicester are not cut-adrift just yet but Smith is well-aware of the challenge he has in-front of him to keep the Foxes in the top-flight - four months since he was sacked by Championship side Norwich. Smith, however, believes he has the capabilities to turn their fortunes around - and quickly.
"It is precarious, but if it was something that was insurmountable, then I wouldn't have come," Smith added. "Neither would Shakey or JT if they believed that also. We are looking forward to the challenge. We know it's going to be tough and we will be putting demands on the players, we will be putting demands on ourselves. We will be spending every minute of every day to make sure we keep this club in the Premier League."
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