Claudio Ranieri urges Leicester City to keep calm and continue to enjoy 'miracle' season

As the rain battered down on Merseyside, Claudio Ranieri stood on an outdoor concourse beneath Goodison Park’s Main Stand, his presence emitting warmth. He spoke quietly and considerately, as if he were releasing secrets.

Riyad Mahrez had scored again – twice on this occasion, while Jamie Vardy had a role in each of Leicester’s three goals. Vardy may have attempted to shoot past Tim Howard for the visitors’ third but possessed the composure to pass the opportunity on to Shinji Okazaki, who was able to seal the victory.

Leicester's Riyad Mahrez converted two penalties

Ranieri’s mind wandered back to the late 1980s, thinking of Napoli; where a genius was credited for rising a struggling club: making them Serie A champions twice.

“It is not only Vardy and Riyad,” Ranieri said. “Maradona alone could do nothing. But together we have a very good team.”

While the achievements of Vardy and Mahrez – the first and joint second leading marksmen in the Premier League - provide Leicester with a trust that their conviction will be rewarded, there exists a wider strength, which Ranieri believes must remain.

Mahrez scores Leicester's first from the spot

In 1991, Napoli’s hold on Italian football was over, Ranieri was placed in charge and with Maradona serving a long-term ban for cocaine abuse, he made the call to replace him with Gianfranco Zola.

Ranieri is adamant there will be no such drastic decisions taken in January: neither Vardy nor Mahrez will be sold, and there will be no attempts to capitalise on their position at the top of the Premier League either. He was asked about the reality of the transfer window opening. What will happen?

“Nothing!” he replied. “I have a very good team, and a very good team spirit; they are friendly with each and they help each other. If you get one, two three [new] players you might break the dressing room.

Shinji Okazaki fires in Leicester's third

“I have managed a lot of top teams and there were a lot of great players. Maybe here there aren’t those great players but there is a team with great spirit. And I believe there are great players inside them, which nobody saw before. To do this is ok for one, two three matches not for six months.”

Ranieri has arrived at the stage where he is simultaneously attempting to shrink pressure on the key individuals, while spreading reasons for fear amongst those trying to stop him. He was right to talk about the other outstanding contributions made by other Leicester players.

Romelu Lukaku levels the score for Everton at 1-1

Without regular partner Robert Huth and Marcin Wasilewski in his place; captain Wes Morgan had to be immense. Danny Drinkwater has similarly been an integral cog in the midfield but his absence through injury was not really felt considering the energetic performance of Andy King.

It is Ranieri, though, who makes it seem as though something magical is happening at Leicester. It has not been a case of him slipping into Nigel Pearson’s shoes, as some of Pearson’s friends in management claim. It is true that Leicester were defiant before, as their improbable escape from relegation in May suggested. Now, they are tactically superior. Now, they are easier to like.

Gerard Deulofeu (center) had a poor game for Everton

Ranieri’s advise is merely to remain calm.

“Why are we under pressure - why stress?” he asked. “Last season they had stress not this year. I think they enjoy it and they must continue this way. If we make something special it is a miracle. If it doesn’t happen it is a miracle anyway: so enjoy and play.”

While Leicester’s surge from the bottom of the table this time last year to the top has been incredible, Everton’s position is perplexing. Considering they possess a striker bang in form – Romelu Lukaku scored for the eighth game in a row here - somehow, Everton are stuck in 10th place like they were last Christmas, only without being able to reason that World Cup fatigue to important players and Europa League participation are contributing factors towards the mediocrity.

Mahrez scores his second from the spot

Injuries have had an impact, however. They miss James McCarthy desperately, his drive from midfield and the way he executes things quickly. Captain Phil Jagielka has also been out for some time now and though his replacement Ramiro Funes Mori has settled reasonably well since moving from River Plate in the summer, the argument that the defender is a mistake waiting to happen was enforced here when he brought down Okazaki having allowed the ball to bounce. The moment led to Mahrez converting the first of two penalty kicks. The second arrived when Tim Howard tripped Vardy.

Roberto Martínez two goals “should have been enough to win a home game,” theory was flawed because the second, from Kevin Mirallas, arrived in injury time and Everton were dead for quite some time by then, the lack of leadership glaring.

Leicester, on the other hand…

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