Claudio Ranieri has fired the starting gun on the Premier League race by claiming it is more likely that "ET comes to Piccadilly Circus" than his Leicester City side retain their title.

Speaking before Leicester’s opening match, away at Hull, Ranieri was in characteristically gnomic form, insisting that he expects the big clubs to return to form and that his side’s first ambition is to avoid relegation.

“I work to be safe,” the manager said in a revival of the mantra he used last season when his Foxes were top of the league.

Fantastic

“I say to my fans we want to be safe, to build a team, anything more and that’s fantastic. It’s not normal that we can win the league. It’s more difficult than last season. It’s easier that ET comes to Piccadilly Circus.”

Ranieri continued in the same vein by insisting that bookmakers should price his side at even longer for the title than the now infamous 5,000/1 that was offered this time last year. But the 64-year-old also had words for his rivals before the season kicks off.

“I think the bookies have to pay 6,000/1 now”, he said. “We are ready to defend our title but we know it is a different gap. The big teams will be back, I am sure.

Good fight

“They can’t make the same mistake for another year. They lost one season in the life of a big team. There are five, six teams who can win it this year. It will be a good fight.”

Leicester start with their lunchtime match tomorrow against Hull, who are newly promoted and without a manager. Ranieri wrily observed that his next opponents were not to be taken lightly. “Be careful with people when they’re favourites for relegation,” he said. Guardian Service