Fact or Fiction: Could cowardly champions Leicester really get relegated?

It may have taken a controversial late Sam Vokes winner to condemn Leicester to their ninth away defeat of the season but in truth they hardly deserved more. The Clarets were denied a blatant penalty in the first half and not only controlled possession (59%) - which is very much against their general style - but also had almost twice the number of shots as their visitors, with a tally of 24 more than double that of their average this season (10.2).

Leicester had chances of their own, but the Foxes’ change in fortunes were summed up by Jamie Vardy. The striker capitalised on a loose ball in the Burnley box in the opening 45 minutes only to find the far touchline from a tight angle rather than the far corner he was picking out with such impressive ease in the previous campaign. Then, in the second half he tried to trick Mike Dean into awarding a penalty against Tom Heaton that was correctly waved away where last season it may well have been given, such was the power of the 'footballing gods' shining down on Ranieri’s men.

By this time last season the 30-year old had been awarded five of the seven spot kicks he would go on to win, with that figure down at one this campaign. Ranieri was honest in his assessment that so much went for Leicester en route to their shock title last time around and they are just not getting that luck as the holders, epitomised by the goal that saw them lose at Turf Moor.

The old saying goes, however, that you earn your luck and in truth Leicester haven’t deserved a great deal this time around. Their remarkable success last season came courtesy of a fantastic strength of character and work rate that has just seemed to disappear with the departure of one man. It’s telling, after all, that on a night that N’Golo Kante was producing the most tackles of any player in the Premier League since 2012, with 14 against Liverpool, the entire Leicester team combined managed just 8 against Burnley.

It’s difficult to recall another instance in which one player’s sale has had such a detrimental impact on a team. Not only were Leicester 26 points better off by the start of February last season but their tally of 21 this time around is the worst of any reigning top-flight champion in English football history. While they deserved every bit of credit they were given last season, they warrant every bit of criticism in the here and now.

While it’s true that a team of Leicester’s ilk are performing closer to their realistic means in the current campaign, to go from league winners to genuine relegation candidates is pretty shameful given that, bar Kante, this is a squad that has not only stuck together but been added to. Summer signings Slimani and Musa - both of whom broke the club’s transfer record at the time of their arrivals - have combined for 7 goals and while that may seem a meagre return it equates to 29% of the Foxes’ overall tally.

Vardy has just five goals to his name and Mahrez three - all penalties - with their respective tallies at 16 and 13 this time last season. Both signed new contracts at the club in the summer and while at the time their loyalty was applauded, the pair now symbolise a lack of ambition from this group, as far as domestic action is concerned at least, which you’d have to argue has filtered down from the manager.

This squad has achieved something that they know they never will again and must now be under some scrutiny from the fans for simply throwing it in. The players have earned the right to live off a Premier League winners medal that seemed an impossibility but to do so just months after said medals were placed over their heads is not acceptable.

Of course, Leicester have done very well to have earned their place in this month’s Champions League knockout stages but their efforts in the league have been cowardly at times. Only the bottom three are averaging fewer points per game and if Leicester’s away form doesn’t improve they’ll be in the thick of a relegation battle til the very end of the season.

The next six weeks will be crucial. As well as a double header with La Liga high flyers Sevilla, Leicester face Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. It is, however, an away game at Swansea and the reception of Hull in that run that may ultimately make or break their league season.

We are, after all, looking at a very real scenario in which the Premier League champions will be relegated if they can’t muster the sort of team spirit that saw them achieve the unbelievable last season. Dropping back into the second tier would be far more believable on paper but a massive embarrassment nonetheless.