Leicester: Leicester City host Everton today hoping inspired words from the players can transform a season, not just a match.
The week has revealed how angry exchanges in the dressing room at Stoke City last Saturday helped inspire a second half performance that saw them fight back from 2-0 down with 10 men to claim a 2-2 draw.
Now the Premier League champions hope those irate words, and the subsequent performance, can turn around a season that has left them flirting dangerously with the relegation scrap -- only three points separate them from third from bottom Sunderland.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said, "Every now and then, if something needs to be said, I'll happily say it.
"I was very emotional and very irate at the time and had some things that I wanted to get off my chest.
"I wasn't the only one -- a lot of people spoke. We've got a dressing room with a lot of leaders in there so we had a good chat and decided that this wasn't the way the game was going to go."
Manager Claudio Ranieri said he welcomed the players speaking frankly.
"It is important that everybody reacts," said Ranieri.
"Sometimes players speak, sometimes there are leaders on the pitch and it's important they are linked very well together."
Ranieri added it could prove to be the pivotal moment of their campaign.
"Yes, it could be our turning point but we have to show it in the next three games," said Ranieri.
"In the dressing room there was a fantastic atmosphere.
"The players believed they could get back and they were right.
"You can't repeat that because there are some moments that are very particular moments that you can't recreate, but of course the players must understand that the next games are very important for us.
"Always I encourage my players to speak."
Ranieri will have to cope, however, without striker Jamie Vardy, who is suspended for three games after being sent off against Stoke, whilst defenders Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs will also serve one-match bans against Everton.
And midfielder Danny Drinkwater is still a doubt with a calf injury.
