Ranieri fears Leicester's final five Premier League matches

Claudio Ranieri has admitted that Leicester's last five games will be 'terrible' as they stand on the verge of the most unlikely of sporting triumphs.

Sunday's 2-0 win at Sunderland left the Foxes three wins away from the greatest Premier League title victory of all-time - and the manager welling up on the Stadium of Light pitch.

They are now three wins away from being crowned champions and Ranieri concedes he is struggling to keep his emotions in check.

He said: "There have been no real tears yet, the ones at Sunderland were unshed tears. But it was a moment of pure emotion.

"To see all those people around us celebrating, entire families on supporters' buses, the masses of Leicester fans who followed us up to Sunderland. It struck me deeply and you realize at that moment, the extraordinary power of football.

"When our sport manages to pull off this level of positivity you cannot remain indifferent. Afterwards, I wanted to explain what it felt like to see the joy on the faces but it's difficult to express my feelings in Italian, let alone English!

"Our work-rate is our great asset. I knew from the moment I watched them in our pre-season training camp in Austria that this team had good morals, they were special.

"These are good guys and it's why they are getting closer to achieving the greatest story of their lives. They work hard all week and they enjoy a laugh and a joke in the locker room.

"But then it's game time and the laughing stops. Out on the pitch, not one of them stops or takes a breather. Vardy's goal in the 95th-minute at Sunderland proves it."

Leicester have a seven-point advantage over Tottenham, who kept up their dogged pursuit with a 3-0 weekend win over Manchester United.

Ranieri said: "The last five matches will be terrible. Nothing is decided yet as far as the title is concerned.

"We are in the Champions League, the preliminary round as things stand. But the title? Tottenham are not giving in and we have to stay focused. I never look for favors from other teams, just to perform my own job.

"This is our mission, to do the best we possibly can - then if Tottenham overtake us we will compliment them. It is the law of sport!"