New Leicester manager Enzo Maresca admits it will be a “bad thing” if his side do not adapt to life back in the Championship after their nine-year stay in the top flight came to end.
Maresca has some adapting of his own to do, having left Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager to take over at the King Power, but the players who have remained following Premier League relegation have a big task on their hands.
The Italian inherits a squad which has lost eight players from last season, either released or sold – with James Maddison’s move to Tottenham not unexpected but still a huge blow – while the club are still in talks with Jonny Evans after his contract expired.
They have, however, been bolstered by the arrivals of Wolves centre-back Conor Coady and Spurs midfielder Harry Winks, which Maresca said was a “good signal from the club”.
“We need to adapt. The Championship, it’s different from the Premier League. If we don’t have that, it will be a bad thing,” Maresca, whose experience of second-tier football extends to playing 47 matches for West Brom between 1998 and 2000, told his first press conference.
“Personally for me it’s been difficult. Since I joined Man City we felt part of the family there but professionally, I had no doubts (about joining).
“Leicester is an important club, a Premier League club, but the reality is that we are a Championship club, and we have to adapt.”
The Foxes have at least been able to get some early business done in the transfer market and Maresca is keen to strengthen further.
But he insists long-serving striker Jamie Vardy will not be leaving despite interest from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, although he could not rule out further departures with winger Harvey Barnes attracting interest.
Asked if Vardy was staying he added: “Absolutely, yes. He is an unbelievable player. Hopefully he can stay with us.
“It’s difficult, when the market is open, anything can happen. Most of us are worried about what happens tomorrow, but we have to look forward.
“At the moment, seven players had their contracts expire, Maddison left, and some more players can leave.
“But at the same time, if players leave, we can bring in more players. The idea is to bring in our targets as soon as possible.”
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
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