Sunday 1 May 2016 14:06, UK
Graeme Souness reflects on Leicester's "remarkable" season, how they have ripped up the rule book, where their achievements rank and what the future might hold for the Foxes...
In this most incredible Premier League year, would anybody be surprised if Leicester went to Old Trafford, one of the greatest football stadiums in the world, and won the league there?
They have already torn up the rule book by the way they play. They have so little possession, players that were relatively unknown, a small budget, but they are the dominant team in the league. Fair play to them.
I wouldn't be surprised if they won the title this weekend. I don't think they will, but I wouldn't be surprised.
Claudio Ranieri has come up with a system that defies logic. They give the ball away - they have the lowest passing accuracy in the league - and their goalkeeper has passed the ball into the final third 482 times, more than any other player in the league aside from Cesc Fabregas. That would suggest they are a long ball team, but they are a joy to watch.
They don't strike me as a basic back to front team, they have far more to their game than that, but the stats suggest they are. They have torn up the rule book.
They should not be where they are with the players they have, the size of the club, and the fact they give the ball away so much. It's a remarkable story.
They have always got the vast majority of players behind the ball because when they win it their first thought is to turn the opposition back four, which means you don't have midfield players going beyond the strikers and they are always in possession when it breaks down. It's a very simple way of playing but they play it in an entertaining fashion.
I was surprised at the start of the season with Ranieri's appointment. It was hard on Nigel Pearson to lose his job and he left a wonderful situation for Ranieri to come in and inherit. Ranieri has come up with a system that suits his players. He has looked at them, seen their strengths and weaknesses and it has worked perfectly.
They should not be where they are with the players they have, the size of the club, and the fact they give the ball away so much. It's a remarkable story.
Leicester winning the league will be one of the greatest football achievements. It's up there with anything you want to name whether in the Premier League or old First Division.
Given the game has moved on and the riches the big clubs have in the Champions League, for a small team today it's very different to when Nottingham Forest won the league (1977/78) and then the European Cup (1978/79 and 1979/80). The riches for the big clubs are far greater than in days gone by.
The Champions League will be exciting for Leicester next season. You don't know what group of players they will have but they will certainly make an impression and leave their mark.
The added finances that come into the club for winning the league will allow them to have a stronger squad and they will need that to play in Europe as well as the Premier League.
This weekend they can win the title and you won't see anything different from Ranieri against Manchester United. He feels he has a group that can go anywhere and win, and so he should, they are top of the league by seven points. If you're not confident now, you will never be confident. Why would they change? They are seven points in front with three games to play.
But it will be a different challenge for them. Swansea were ideal opposition last weekend. They were in their armchairs, heads already somewhere else and with a coach who might be not be there next season. It was the perfect game for Leicester.
This weekend will be different as they are playing against a Man Utd team who are stubborn, well organised and have something to play for. However, they are going into the game looking in their rear mirror and not seeing anyone.
If Tottenham had won the other night they would be there. Now Leicester know they can lose two games and still get there. They could even lose all three and still win it, so they are in a wonderful situation.
Watch Manchester United v Leicester live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Sunday from 1pm, or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV.
