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MANCHESTER, England -- Glance at the Champions League standings and it would seem all is just fine at Leicester City this season.Three matches. Three wins. No goals conceded.If only the defense of its English Premier League title was going so well.Few expected Leicester to replicate the feats of last season, when the unheralded team from central England went from relegation favorites to title winners in one of the most amazing stories in all of sports.Few, though, would have expected such a drop-off in the league the following season.When I think of the Premier League, Im very, very angry, said Leicesters usually amiable coach, Claudio Ranieri.Leicester heads into Saturdays home match against Crystal Palace in 13th place in the 20-team league, having lost four of its opening eight games. The team only lost three league matches in the whole of last season.The most obvious explanation for the drastic dip in form is a change of focus. This season, it increasingly seems, is all about the Champions League, which Leicester is competing in for the first time.Its just psychological, Ranieri explained. Because when we play in the Champions League, all the specials are switched on. Youre very, very smart, focused in every situation.The same cant be said in the Premier League. Leicester has lost to Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea by three-goal margins and also has been defeated by promoted Hull. Its only wins have come against Burnley and Swansea, both of whom -- like Hull -- are among the contenders for relegation.There are other factors to blame apart from a preoccupation with the Champions League.The loss of NGolo Kante to Chelsea has hit Leicester hard. It felt at times like the energetic Kante did the work of two players in central midfield last season, providing protection for the defense and also a springboard for the attack. Offseason recruits Daniel Amartey and Nampalys Mendy (currently injured) just arent in Kantes league.As a consequence, Leicesters defense looks vulnerable, with center backs Wes Morgan and Robert Huth exposed and making errors. That, however, doesnt explain the teams tendency to concede at set pieces this season, which is simply down to a lack of concentration and awareness.Another factor is Ranieris squad strengthening over the summer, which included signing forwards Ahmed Musa and Islam Slimani for what were club-record fees. It has given the Italian coach more options for his lineup but he might no longer know what his best team is.Last season, everyone knew Leicesters first-choice lineup and Ranieri -- nicknamed Tinkerman during his time at Chelsea -- rarely rotated, but that has changed. Shinji Okazaki, for example, rarely starts now and the Japan forward was a key member of the title-winning team because of his work rate, unselfishness and qualities in linking the midfield and attack.Then theres the dip in form of star players from last season -- striker Jamie Vardy and winger Riyad Mahrez. Vardy has scored twice this season, and not since Sept. 10, while Mahrez hasnt been the same effervescent force that once flustered defenses. Have opponents worked out how to play them?A mid-table finish in the Premier League and getting to the knockout stage of the Champions League would be acceptable in this most unusual of seasons for Leicester. But for Ranieri, the quicker the team gets to the 40-point mark -- a figure widely regarded as the safety net against relegation -- the better.Here are some other things to watch out for this weekend in the ninth round of games:---CHELSEA VS. MANCHESTER UNITEDUnited manager Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge on Sunday for the first time since getting fired by Chelsea in December, which ended his second spell at the London club.It will be the latest game in a tough period for United, which played away to Liverpool on Monday and hosts Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday.Mourinho adopted a defensive, containing approach at Liverpool, which eked out a 0-0 draw for United. He may do the same against a Chelsea team that has won both of its games since manager Antonio Conte switched to a three-man defense.---MANCHESTER CITY VS. SOUTHAMPTONSergio Aguero has found himself in an unusual position in Citys last two games: on the substitutes bench.Rested against Everton in the Premier League after exertions on international duty, the Argentina striker was controversially left out for tactical reasons in the 4-0 loss at Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.Aguero should return on Sunday for the league leaders against Southampton, which hasnt lost any of its last four games in the league. Andrew Kittredge Rays Jersey . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. Blake Snell Rays Jersey . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/186i-austin-meadows-jersey-rays.html . 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Warriors star Shaun Johnson admits he and his teammates have left coach Andrew McFadden in a precarious position after failing to secure an NRL finals spot.The Auckland-based outfit lost their final four matches of the season to miss the top eight for a fifth consecutive season, of which McFadden has coached three.They concluded their 2016 campaign with a limp 40-18 defeat to Parramatta in Auckland on Sunday, gifting the Eels numerous tries through careless mistakes.The failure to secure a top eight berth turns the heat up on McFadden, who was expected to deliver finals football this year.But Johnson, 25, said the responsibility for the late-season collapse rested firmly on the squads shoulders.Schoolboy errors, defensive lapses and carelessness could not be put down to coaching deficiencies.Theres not much you can say, Johnson said on Sunday.We let him down again and let ourselves down again.Weve put him in a very vulnerable position.Johnson said it was particularly galling to crash out given the individual quality withiin the squad.ddddddddddddThe team would now have to dwell on their failures over a long off-season.Its basic fundamentals which we dont place enough importance on at the moment, its hurting us, the halfback said.You cant not pull someone up on some of the stuff were doing.Thomas Leuluai, who played his last game for the club on Sunday before heading to the Super League, agreed with his halves partner.The NRL was too difficult to throw away points and still expect victory.Too many tries handed to them on a plate and then we bombed three of ours, we cant do that in this competition, the 31-year-old Leuluai said.Leuluai said the failure to achieve finals football in 2016 ranked as the most painful in his time at the club given the squads potential.His teammates were ruing their missed opportunity as well.If we played our best football and got beaten, so be it - but we didnt do that, Leuluai said. 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