Fan regret not placing £20 on his team to win the League

Leicester city fan forgot to place £20 bet on the Foxes to win the Premier League this season.

At odds 5000/1, hindsight tells us backing Claudio Ranieri's men might have been worth a cheeky flutter. 

But that regret is really hitting home for John Micklethwait, originally from Leicestershire, who told the Daily Mirror how he has put £20 on Leicester to top the table for the last 20 seasons - and remarkably, this year, he forgot.

See what Daily Mirror Chief football writer said about Leicester

The Daily Mirror’s Chief Sports Writer David Kidd and Chief Football Writer John Cross had Leicester finishing last. Not just relegated, but stone last – the opposite end to where they sit today.

As well as tipping Leicester to finish bottom (sorry). I also tipped Man City to finish top. So there.— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 16, 2015

Leicester just keep on winning and Jamie Vardy keeps on scoring. Hate to tell you I told you so... But I didn't. Amazing stuff, well done.— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) October 31, 2015

I thought Ranieri was pretty uninspiring at Chelsea. So dread to think what he'll be like at Leicester. Nice fella, but... #wrongchoice— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 13, 2015

Leicester are going to win the league, aren't they? Never doubted it... Ahem, cough, gets coat...— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) February 6, 2016

An incredible time: Leicester await English Premier league miracle

Leicester, United Kingdom // A collective euphoria has gripped Leicester’s humdrum streets as the often-overlooked English city stands at the cusp of achieving global sporting immortality by winning football’s most coveted league title.

Many in the medium-sized Midlands city will not talk about the possibility of one of sporting history’s most unlikely triumphs for fear of jinxing their heroes.

“If you look at all the fans, the people, the city, it’s an incredible, incredible time," said Ian Smith, while readjusting his Leicester City scarf.

“It means the world to them. A once in a lifetime experience."

But the impossible dream will become a reality if the Foxes win at Manchester United on Sunday

The club, who started the season as one of the relegation favourites and 5000/1 shots to finish top, would still have two more matches to seal arguably the most unlikely league title in English football history if they were to lose at Old Trafford.

Sitting between the powerhouses of Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester, Leicester has a population of around 330,000.

Locals pride themselves on their hospitality, welcoming strangers with open arms and using the affectionate greeting “m’duck".

For a city instilled with restraint and discretion, the current emotional eruption is unprecedented.

“It’s an unbelievable buzz everywhere, there are... blue items just everywhere," said Anna Hulewicz-Brown, adding that the city was almost unrecognisable from the one where she had spent her whole life.

The temperature will ramp up a notch on Friday when the city’s landmarks, houses and shops will be illuminated and draped in blue until the end of the season.

Fans nervous about Sunday’s big match will be able to calm their nerves in the city’s pubs with a “Vardy bomb", a cocktail invented in honour of star striker Jamie Vardy.

Others are seeking divine intervention, with a city-centre street preacher now using football to begin his sermon while singing the praises of “Saint Vardy".

Even fans of the town’s successful rugby club Leicester Tigers are on board, having Vardy’s name emblazoned on the back of their shirts.

“Every time I go out in the street, everybody wants to talk about football," said mayor Peter Soulsby, who has been swamped with international media requests to explain the miracle.

“It’s a wonderful thing for the city, with Richard III being reinterred last year and Leicester winning the Premier League,... we couldn’t hope for anything better," added die-hard fan Sandra Baum.

The last Plantagenet king was buried at the city’s cathedral last year following the sensational discovery of his remains underneath a council car park, 500 years after his death.

The story shone a rare spotlight on the city, but fans say the city’s footballing fairy tale eclipses everything.

“It puts Leicester City on the map," said Prami Singh, a regular at the team’s King Power Stadium.

His friend Asif Sheikh lauded the city’s cosmopolitanism and the authentic atmosphere inside the stadium.

“Manchester United, Chelsea fans are from different cities, but the fans here are all born and bred here," he said.

Fruit and vegetable seller Scott Lee, 43, epitomises the city’s familiarity, working on the stall that used to be run by the family of Gary Lineker.

The former England international is revered in Leicester and his family name still appears above the stall.

The ardent fan, now a presenter, promised last December that he would host BBC’s flagship football show in his underpants if the team won the title.

Lee revealed that the current players can wander around town free from hassle, and said the absence of “big time Charlies" in the squad was a key part of their success.

“Manchester United spent 270 million ($395 million, 350 million euros) and have got nothing. We’ve got a team like Leicester, they play together and are friends.

“(Japanese striker) Shinji Okazaki was around town last week. I talked to him, didn’t understand him, but a lovely man. You wouldn’t see that at Chelsea."

He is in no doubt that the country is behind them, and that they will have the world’s support when they tackle Europe’s elite in next season’s Champions League.

“The world likes it, it’s the underdog story. We’ll beat them, we’ve got a team, not just individual players," he said. according to thenational

West Ham United is set to offload Super Eagles Striker

West Ham United is not likely to extend Emenike contract at the end of the season following the signing of Toni Martinez

The Turkish newspaper Milliyet have reported that the Nigeria international has failed to impress after joining the Hammers on loan from Fenerbahce in January.

The daily newspaper goes onto say that West Ham have signed Martinez on a three-year deal for €3 million from Valencia.

Emenike has a total of two-goals in all competitions for West Ham since joining on a temporary move from Fenerbahce.

The Nigerian striker is yet to score a single goal in the Premier League and has lost his place in West Ham’s starting line-up following the return of Andy Carroll.

The Hammers have a buy-out option to sign Emenike at the end of the season but Slaven Bilic has remained coy on whether he will push the board to active the clause in his contract.

One win more for Leicester to be crowned Premier league champions

Leicester can win the Premier League title this Sunday following Tottenham's slip-up against West Brom.

A 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane on Monday Night Football means Claudio Ranieri's side are now just one win away from pulling off one of sport's biggest shocks.

Leicester began the season as 5,000-1 outsiders, but victory at Manchester United on Super Sunday will guarantee the first league title in the club's 132-year history.

City will go to Old Trafford without their top scorer Jamie Vardy, who will be given a one-match ban for improper conduct for his angry reaction to a red card against West Ham.

But a goal from PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez set the leaders on their way to a 4-0 win over Swansea in Vardy's absence on Sunday, and they now need just three points from remaining games against United, Everton and Chelsea.

Spurs are the last team left with a chance of catching Leicester, but a seven-point gap at the top means defeat at Chelsea on Monday night will spell the end of their challenge whatever the outcome at Old Trafford a day earlier.

Sunday soccer prediction

Fiorentina		-:-		Juventus
3.5		3.3		2.15
»Game details
Date		Sunday 24th April 2016
Time		20:45 CEST
Venue name		Artemio Franchi, Firenze
Referee		Paolo Tagliavento from Italy
Round		35
»Lineups
	3-4-2-1	Formation		3-5-2
	Goalkeeper: Ciprian Tatarusanu Defence: Davide Astori Defence: Gonzalo Rodriguez Defence: Facundo Sebastian Roncaglia Midfield: Federico Bernardeschi Midfield: Josip Ilicic Midfield: Borja Valero Midfield: Marcos Alonso Midfield: Matias Vecino Midfield: Milan Badelj Forward: Nikola Kalinic Injured: Khouma Babacar Injured: Yohan Benalouane Coach: Paulo Sousa			Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon Defence: Daniele Rugani Defence: Leonardo Bonucci Defence: Andrea Barzagli Midfield: Sami Khedira Midfield: Juan Cuadrado Midfield: Patrice Evra Midfield: Paul Pogba Midfield: Mario Lemina Forward: Paulo Dybala Forward: Mario Mandzukic Injured: Martin Caceres Injured: Claudio Marchisio Injured: Neto Injured: Roberto Pereyra Injured: Giorgio Chiellini Suspended: Stefano Sturaro Coach: Massimiliano Allegri
»Compare teams
Fiorentina			Juventus
LOST in last 1 Serie A's games.			WON in last 8 Serie A's games.
NOT DRAW in last 3 Serie A's games.			NOT LOST in last 24 Serie A's games.
	5.	League position		1.
	5pts.	Last five games		15pts.
	9pts.	last 5 home/away only		13pts.
»Predictions
10 on Juventus @ 2.15
over 2.5 goals
score tip - 0:3
»Head to Head matches
13th Dec 15	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		3:1
29th Apr 15	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		3:2
07th Apr 15	Italy - Coppa Italia		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:3
05th Mar 15	Italy - Coppa Italia		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:2
05th Dec 14	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:0
20th Mar 14	International - Europa League		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:1
13th Mar 14	International - Europa League		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:1
09th Mar 14	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:0
20th Oct 13	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		4:2
09th Feb 13	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		2:0
25th Sep 12	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:0
17th Mar 12	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:5
25th Oct 11	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		2:1
17th Apr 11	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		0:0
27th Nov 10	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:1
06th Mar 10	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		1:2
17th Oct 09	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:1
24th Jan 09	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:0
31st Aug 08	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		1:1
10th Jan 06	Italy - Coppa Italia		Juventus : Fiorentina		4:1
01st Dec 05	Italy - Coppa Italia		Fiorentina : Juventus		2:2
16th Feb 02	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		2:1
19th Dec 01	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		1:1
11th May 01	Italy - Serie A		Fiorentina : Juventus		1:3
06th Jan 01	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		3:3
22nd Apr 00	Italy - Serie A		Juventus : Fiorentina		1:0
»Latest games

Fiorentina
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
20.4.	Udinese	2:1	Fiorentina
17.4.	Fiorentina	3:1	Sassuolo
10.4.	Empoli	2:0	Fiorentina
03.4.	Fiorentina	1:1	Sampdoria
20.3.	Frosinone	0:0	Fiorentina
13.3.	Fiorentina	1:1	Hellas Verona
04.3.	Roma	4:1	Fiorentina
29.2.	Fiorentina	1:1	SSC Napoli
International - Europa League 2015/2016
25.2.	Tottenham Hotspur	3:0	Fiorentina
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
21.2.	Atalanta	2:3	Fiorentina
International - Europa League 2015/2016
18.2.	Fiorentina	1:1	Tottenham Hotspur
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
14.2.	Fiorentina	2:1	Inter
06.2.	Bologna	1:1	Fiorentina
03.2.	Fiorentina	2:1	Carpi
31.1.	Genoa	0:0	Fiorentina
24.1.	Fiorentina	2:0	Torino
17.1.	AC Milan	2:0	Fiorentina
09.1.	Fiorentina	1:3	Lazio
06.1.	Palermo	1:3	Fiorentina
20.12.	Fiorentina	2:0	ChievoVerona

Juventus
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
20.4.	Juventus	3:0	Lazio
17.4.	Juventus	4:0	Palermo
09.4.	AC Milan	1:2	Juventus
02.4.	Juventus	1:0	Empoli
20.3.	Torino	1:4	Juventus
International - Champions League Final Stages 2015/2016
16.3.	Bayern Munich	4:2	Juventus
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
11.3.	Juventus	1:0	Sassuolo
06.3.	Atalanta	0:2	Juventus
Italy - Coppa Italia 2015/2016
02.3.	Inter	6:5	Juventus
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
28.2.	Juventus	2:0	Inter
International - Champions League Final Stages 2015/2016
23.2.	Juventus	2:2	Bayern Munich
Italy - Serie A 2015/2016
19.2.	Bologna	0:0	Juventus
13.2.	Juventus	1:0	SSC Napoli
07.2.	Frosinone	0:2	Juventus
03.2.	Juventus	1:0	Genoa
31.1.	ChievoVerona	0:4	Juventus
Italy - Coppa Italia 2015/2016
27.1.	Juventus	3:0	Inter