Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has claimed he was not joking when he claimed that avoiding relegation was his number one aim again this season.

The Foxes, 11.00 to go down this year, shocked everybody during the last campaign when they stormed to the Premier League title.

Some sections of the media have tipped them to go down this year and they did little to dissuade those doubters by starting the new season with a 2-1 defeat at Hull.

Adama Diomande and Robert Snodgrass scored either side of a Riyad Mahrez penalty to give the Tigers a shock three points.

After the game, Ranieri admitted his main aim this season was to avoid the drop, just like it was throughout their title-winning campaign.

The Italian eventually turned his attention to silverware last term but the former Chelsea coach is adamant he is expecting a tough year this time around.

He told reporters: “When I say ’40 points’, a lot of people are laughing but it is true.

“I think we forget… champions or not champions, we know very well last season was something special. Now we are back with feet on the ground and we have to work hard.

“Last season, we made something unforgettable, unbelievable and everything was perfect.

But football is not perfect.” Leicester’s next fixture is a home game against Arsenal on Saturday and the Gunners go into it on the back of a 4-3 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.