CLAUDIO RANIERI insists he will be the last person to know if Leicester City are crowned Barclays Premier League champions tonight because he will be returning from lunch in Italy with his 96-year-old mother.
The Foxes boss was due to travel to his homeland last night with his return flight taking place at exactly the same time as second-placed Tottenham Hotspur's trip to Chelsea.
Leicester could not take their first chance to clinch the Premier League title, drawing 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford, but they will see this most incredible of stories completed should Spurs fail to win at Stamford Bridge.
"Tomorrow night, I am on a flight,” said the Leicester City manager after yesterday’s events at Old Trafford. “I come back from Italy at the same time as the match. I will be the last man to know the result.
"I want to meet my mother. She is 96 years old and I'd like to go to have lunch with her."
Leicester fans travelled to Old Trafford in their thousands in hope and expectation and the atmosphere reflected the magnitude of the occasion.
Wes Morgan's header cancelled out Anthony Martial's eighth minute goal, opening up the possibility of Leicester winning the title before their next match at home to Everton.
Ranieri does not care about the nature of the triumph. He is at the stage where he just wants it done and dusted.
"I want to win,” he said. “It is not important when, believe me.
"I am so happy because we drew against a fantastic Manchester United. They played so well. At the beginning, it was amazing.
"We suffered a lot because they pressed so high. Without Jamie Vardy, it was difficult for us to stretch their defensive line, but I am very pleased with our composure, our performance.
“After the goal, we kept calm and we scored a goal. After that, we got a lot of confidence and we played better.
“We did not come here to win the title. We came here to make a good performance because we knew it was a difficult match.
“It was difficult for us, but we scored at the right moment and played with more confidence after that.
“We were waiting for that kind of performance from United. When you play against big champions, you must suffer a little.
“I am always satisfied when I see my players play as well as that.
“They showed their character, heart and their soul. When they do that, you can accept the result.”
Ranieri understands that Leicester, as a city, is preparing to stage the party of parties to mark a title triumph which no-one could ever have dreamed of. He insists, however, that his players cannot afford to be caught up in the planning of the celebrations.
"I know in the city there are fireworks, all the city is blue, but we must continue to concentrate without listening to those fireworks," said Ranieri. "We have to stay on the pitch and think there will be another tough match."
United boss Louis van Gaal was left with mixed feelings, hailing his side's performance, but admitting the result leaves them needing help from others to finish in the top four.
"The start was unbelievably good,” he said. “The first 25 minutes was fantastic to see, but then Leicester came more in the match. It is logical. They are the future champions and not for nothing.
"I have said to my players that I have seen one of the best matches of the season of from line-up, I think, but it was not enough."
United midfielder Marouane Fellaini could be in hot water after being caught on camera elbowing Robert Huth, but van Gaal argued United should have had a penalty after Huth pulled Fellaini's hair and called the Belgian's response a natural reaction.
Asked if he expected Fellaini to face a ban, van Gaal replied: "Then I expect first that Huth shall be getting a lot (of matches) because I don't think that is normal what he is doing.
“What Fellaini is doing is reacting like a human being."
The Dutchman then went a little further when discussing that contentious hairpull in a television interview with the BBC last night.
“When I grab your hair now, you will react also,” he said.
“it is not in the books that somebody has to grab with the hair and then pull it behind. Only in sex masochism. Then it is allowed."
Leicester City did have Danny Drinkwater sent-off with four minutes to play after receiving a second yellow card for dragging back Memphis Depay on the edge of the area.
Ranieri, however, refused to criticise referee Michael Oliver.
“It wasn’t (a sending-off), in my opinion, but I accept the decision of the referee,” he remarked.
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