Paul Clement: 'Claudio Ranieri criticism is not right'

Claudio Ranieri watches on during the Premier League game between Southampton and Leicester City on January 22, 2017
© SilverHub
Swansea City manager Paul Clement claims that recent speculation over the future of Leicester City counterpart Claudio Ranieri is unfair.

Swansea City manager Paul Clement has claimed that the recent speculation over the future of Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri is unfair.

The Leicester board were forced to declare their "unwavering support" for the Italian earlier this week after the Foxes had failed to win or even score in their opening five Premier League games of 2017.

Clement's Swansea side will be looking to prolong that run for the champions on Sunday, but he insists that Ranieri deserves time to turn things around having guided the club to Premier League glory in the most remarkable of circumstances last season.

"What he did last year was remarkable and for that he deserves time to try and put it right," he told reporters.

"How he is public enemy number one, I just don't understand that. The talk of unrest and players speaking to the chairman and pundits talking about who might be next Leicester boss is not right.

"He's a very good coach, tactically very good, did amazingly well with that group, got them so tough during that run-in when everyone thought they would fall away and they kept winning 1-0, 1-0, 1-0. He deserves a chance to turn it around."

Swansea and Leicester currently sit level on points in the Premier League table, both just one clear of the relegation zone.

Paul Clement manager of Derby County looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Nottingham Forest and Derby County at City Ground on November 6, 2015
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12Burnley2593132736-930
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14Bournemouth2575133549-1426
15Swansea CitySwansea2573153154-2324
16Middlesbrough25410111927-822
17Leicester CityLeicester2556142443-1921
18Hull City2555152249-2720
19Crystal Palace2554163246-1419
20Sunderland2554162446-2219
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