Can Leicester do the unthinkable?

Leicester City put Chelsea to the sword on Monday night with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez again the star performers and the question being asked by fans all over is "Can Leicester actually win the league?"

If you asked anyone at Leicester, can it be done? The answer is a resounding no! Claudio Ranieri and his players alike speak of their chances of being able to compete with the top sides over a full season as slight and that is optimistic. 

The question though will not go away while The Foxes continue to win games and score goals against all who come before them. This week it was champions Chelsea who could not cope with the two most in form players in the Premier League. 

Players involved in most goals in the PL 18 Mahrez (11+7) 17 Vardy (15+2) 16 Lukaku (12+4) 14 Ozil (2+12) 12 Ighalo (10+2)

— playmaker stats EN (@playmaker_EN) December 15, 2015

Riyad Mahrez Premier League 2015/2016

15 Matches   1213 minutes

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Jamie Vardy Premier League 2015/2016

16 Matches   1417 minutes

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Leicester are the only side to find the net in every Premier League game this season with one of these two scoring in every match. 

  
Have Leicester been handed the top spot?

It is possible to get carried away and it is important to consider all the facts. Have City, Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea handed Ranieri's side the top spot or are they there on merit? The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The Foxes form has been sensational and their rise from bottom of the table this time last year is the real story but in truth as of yet none of the so called big four are performing at the level expected of them. 

Chelsea's demise has been much publicised and Louis Van Gaal is under pressure with United failing to impress with disappointing regularity. Then you have Arsenal and Manchester City that on current form look the most likely to press on for the title but have stuttered thus far in terms of laying down a strong claim as the favourites. 

One important factor to consider is the games still to be played between now and the end of the year which to some degree will answer our primary question of can Leicester do the unthinkable? Ranieri's side have two trips to Merseyside ahead as games against Everton and Liverpool await before hosting Manchester City before 2016 arrives.

With double headers against Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City still to go as well as needing to play the return fixtures at Old Trafford, The Emirates and Stamford Bridge it seems that Ranieri's approach is the right one in taking each game as it comes. 

Parallels

One of my most painful footballing memories (although this season is proving to be tougher) was back in 1998/99 when my team Aston Villa were top of the Premier League at the turn of the year. The question was then being asked, is it possible for Villa to go on and win the league?

I was hopeful but in all honesty was waiting for the wheels to come off. I recall earlier in the season after a 1-0 win over Derby County singing buoyantly with the Villa fans "we are top of the league" when a loud shout from a Derby fan cut through to say "you won't even get into Europe!" This was met with much guffawing and laughter from the Villa faithful but in the end much to my frustration the prediction was spot on. Sixth placed finish and 22 points adrift of champions Manchester United it was a painful time to be a Villain. 

Villa winning the league back in 99 would have been undoubtedly a huge shock, however the Midlands side were an in form side back in those days and had their performances not so dramatically changed things could have been very different. 

Leicester City's win over #ChelseaFC ensured their best start to a top flight season in their 131-year history #playmaker #premier league

— playmaker stats EN (@playmaker_EN) December 15, 2015

Due to Leicester's recent history it makes what they are achieving at present all the more astounding but I feel like the Derby fan that spoiled my moment back in '99 and would say to all Leicester fans getting carried away, be careful you might not even get into Europe!

A more positive note to finish on and maybe a more realistic target is a top four place for Leicester as no team with 35 points or more after the first 16 games of a Premier League season has finished outside of the top four.