Leicester boss Enzo Maresca declares his Leeds United run-in expectation with 'reality' warning

Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca has declared his Leeds United expectation for the Championship's final eight games with a 'reality' warning and Whites praise.

Maresca's Foxes looked to be streaking away with the Championship title having started the season with 19 wins from their first 23 games by Christmas, form that had Leicester 17 points clear of fourth-placed Leeds at the turn of the year.

United, though, have since picked up an incredible 37 points from a last possible 39, taking them top of the table and above Maresca's side on goal difference, albeit having played one game more.

Leicester will return to action with Good Friday's lunchtime kick-off at Bristol City, ahead of which Maresca has served up "fantastic" praise for Leeds, declaring that he expects United, Ipswich Town and Southampton to stay with his side over the last eight games.

The Foxes boss has also warned that runs like his side's start to the season and United's recent offering were not normal reality as he admitted that Daniel Farke's Whites deserve to be where they are.

Maresca said: "It's already 25 years that I am involved in football so I know that the reality is not to win games with 10-15 points higher than the second one.

"And also because I respect Leeds, I respect Southampton, I respect Ipswich and I know that until the end they are going to be there with us.

"So the reason why since we started I always said this is not the reality, what they have done is something incredible is because it's not the reality.

"Winning 19 of 23 games the first round was something not normal and also in this moment.

"If Leeds, I think in their last 12 games they won 11 and they drew one, fantastic, they deserve to be where they are now with us."