LONDON • Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri insists the blame should lay at his door after Southampton breezed past the reigning champions 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday.

James Ward-Prowse, Jay Rodriguez and Dusan Tadic all scored to push the Saints back in the right direction after they lost their last four league games.

Nobody has been more baffled by Leicester's dreadful away form - no wins all season - than Ranieri but the Italian blamed himself for his side's laborious display at Southampton.

"I tried to change the system to help my players find the solution but it's much better to maintain the normal way," Ranieri said, alluding to his decision to play an unfamiliar midfield diamond.

"I think it's better to give them something we know. There are no excuses. Southampton were the better team and deserved to win. But I take responsibility for our shape."

It was another inept Leicester display and their league record on the road this season now reads: eight defeats, three draws, zero wins.

Unfortunately for Leicester, four of their next five games are away matches. The numbers are even more bizarre considering the Foxes lost just twice away from the King Power Stadium last season.

Leicester remain just three points above Swansea - seemingly doomed to relegation only a couple of weeks ago - and only five above the drop zone.

The only bum note for Southampton manager Claude Puel could be the ankle injury sustained by Virgil van Dijk 10 minutes into the second half.

Puel is down to bare bones defensively for tomorrow's League Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool.

"He took a big kick and we will see if we can recover him for this game," Puel said.

"I hope we can have Virgil of course because he is our captain and he's an important player."

THE GUARDIAN