Leicester will go down if we don’t improve quickly, says Kasper Schmeichel

Champions Leicester will be relegated from the Premier League if they don’t improve quickly, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said after their 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.

Last season the Foxes won the title on the back of a near-unbreachable defence and razor-sharp attack as they were carried to the most improbable success on a wave of positive emotion.

This term, however, the defence looks vulnerable under the slightest pressure, they have yet to score a league goal in 2017 and anxiety is rising as relegation looks increasingly possible.

“We have to improve right now,” a dejected-looking Schmeichel told Sky Sports. “It is time for each one of us, from the top to the bottom of this club, to be counted. If we don’t we will be relegated.”

The champions have won only twice in 15 league games and a run of four successive defeats has left them just one point and two places above the relegation zone.

Their 21 points from 24 league games represents the lowest ever return for the defending English top flight champions at this stage of a season.

“It’s not good enough and sums our season up at the moment,” Schmeichel said, referring to their performances. “It (last season) has gone as you can clearly see. We need to stand up and be counted. It has been terrible, it has been embarrassing.”