Yahoo News Emile Heskey changes his mind after Leicester City's double boost
Emile Heskey has changed his mind on Leicester City’s Premier League prospects after the double boost of the past few weeks.
Before the season began, the City icon predicted his boyhood club to finish 18th and go straight back down alongside fellow promoted sides Ipswich and Southampton. But now, he has faith in survival.
In the final three weeks of the window, City signed five first-team players, including four who have prior Premier League experience. Then, last week, they won their appeal and will avoid a points deduction over their 22-23 finances.
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They are not totally in the clear as far as sanctions this season go though, with their 23-24 finances still to be assessed and with the possibility that a breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) will lead to a points deduction later in the campaign. However, Heskey is now feeling confident of relegation being avoided, and believes the feeling will be the same inside the club.
The former striker told BetMGM: “Leicester need to stay resilient as it’s going to be a long season if they don’t. It's going to be a tough season anyway with a new manager playing a different style and formation, they look like a totally different team. However, I do have faith that they can stay up.
“No one likes to come into a new season knowing that they're basically on minus points already, but now they have confirmation of no points deduction this season, it isn't hanging over them anymore. I'm now much more positive about Leicester staying up and I'm sure the players and staff are too, there'll be new found belief around the place.
“Recruiting players such as Odsonne Edouard, Jordan Ayew, Oliver Skipp and Facundo Buonanotte are solid signings because bringing new players in gives everyone else in the squad a boost. It brings in competition, it brings in a bit of hope. I think they've got half a chance of staying up with these signings, but it'll still be a tough season which may still go down to the wire.”
City are one of six sides to go without a win in the first three weeks of the campaign. But they face two teams who share that record over the next fortnight, first travelling to Crystal Palace this Saturday (3pm kick-off) before hosting Everton the following weekend.
