Leicester talisman Riyad Mahrez says Foxes have the quality to stay in the Premier League

SWAN-SLAYER Riyad Mahrez says Leicester have the quality to stop their dramatic slide towards relegation.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk

Riyad Mahrez won the PFA Player of the Year award - becoming the first African to do so

The struggling champions face a massive clash at Swansea tomorrow with Mahrez looking to be the main man again.

The PFA Footballer of the Year was the scourge of the Welsh side last season, almost single-handedly dismantling them twice.

The Algerian ace scored a hat-trick in Leicester's 3-0 win at the Liberty last season and then scored in the 4-0 thrashing towards the end of their glorious title year.

But those four goals amount to one more than he's scored in the league so far in a season that has seen Leicester slide alarmingly towards the drop zone.

Mahrez is confident The Foxes have more than enough to clamber to safety and has no intention of letting the battle go down to the wire.

He said: "We know we have quality in this team and we know if we do things properly we'll stay in the Premier League.

"I knew it would be difficult this season but we're just in a bad moment right now and we just have to come back. We have good players here. We are a good team."

"It's a big game at Swansea. We have to prepare properly because both the clubs are near the bottom and we need to get something from that.

But Mahrez insists Leicester don't want any end-of-season excitement for all the wrong reasons.

He added: "We need to just focus on the last 14 games and make sure we're safe. We want to be safe before the last five games.

"We don't want to be in a struggle right at the end. We need to do things properly to make sure we're safe."

Mahrez has struggled to recapture the scintillating form which prompted a £20m bid from Arsenal in the summer and Foxes boss Ranieri is desperate for his talisman to get back to his best.

Ranieri said: "I think Riyad is getting better. You know when Riyad plays well our team changes.

"I said to Riyad to get back to where he was last season. Just two words - come back. He tries and is positive.

"I'm very happy when he's positive. I look at him smiling and it's okay.

"He scored a hat-trick there last season so that could be something that he thinks about and could be good for him.

Ranieri says he spoken to Mahrez along with misfiring striker Vardy, although the Italian refused to go public on the details of his pep talk.

"We spoke but I can't tell you what was said - it's top secret!" said Ranieiri. "It's always interesting chat when the three of us are in the room!

Mahrez is confident he'll get back to his best, adding: "We just need to work hard. I know it's going to come back. I just need to keep working and everything will come back normally."

"I'm part of the team. If it's difficult for the team then it's difficult for me as well.

"So we just need to work hard and I think everything is going to come back to normal. I'm not worried about myself.

"The goals will come back. We're confident we can do it - very confident."

Vardy is a doubt for the game with Ranieri revealing: "Jamie had a kick on a muscle and we want to check how he trains. He is not 100 per cent. I want to check."