Leicester City will win Premier League with matches to spare: Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson, retired Manchester United manager who
lifted 13 Premier League titles, has backed leaders
Leicester City to be crowned champions with three matches
to spare.
The Foxes are five points clear of nearest rivals Tottenham
Hotspur and hold an 11 point cushion between themselves
and fifth-placed West Ham United with nine games to play.
Ferguson, now a director at Old Trafford, made the remarks
as master of ceremonies at a Cheltenham Festival preview
lunch before also predicting that West Ham, two points
adrift of Manchester City, will secure Champions League
qualification.
Asked by a member of the audience if Leicester can
continue their intrepid march to a first top-flight title in their
132-year history, Ferguson said: “Of course they can. I
believe they will win it with three games to spare.”
Claudio Ranieri's side started the campaign as favourites to
be relegated after only preserving their Premier League
status the previous year courtesy of a remarkable
turnaround in fortunes under Nigel Pearson.
The Italian's predecessor, recently linked with Derby
County, was dismissed in July owing to a “difference in
perspective” with the board but his trusted aides, assistant
managers Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh, remained at
the East Midlands club.
Walsh, who also operates as Leicester's head of
recruitment, was directly involved in the scouting process
which unearthed Premier League top goal-scorer Jamie
Vardy, Player of the Year contender Riyad Mahrez and
midfield maestro N'Golo Kante.
“The most influential person in the Premier League has
been Steve Walsh,” the 74-year-old added.
Leicester face Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium
on Monday evening before a favourable sequence of
fixtures which includes Crystal Palace (away), Southampton
(home), Sunderland (away), West Ham (home) and Swansea
City (home).
Ferguson hypothesises that Ranieri's men will have already
accrued the points required before their trip to face United
at Old Trafford on Sunday May 1. Everton and Chelsea,
home then away, represent the final hurdles for Leicester to
navigate before the season's close.