What's gone wrong at Leicester City?

Eight months after celebrating a Premier League title win that ranks among the greatest sporting achievements, Leicester find themselves in a relegation battle.

Manager Claudio Ranieri, who has used his catchphrase "dilly-ding, dilly-dong" throughout his 30-year managerial career. this week received a vote of confidence, the club insisting he retains their "support".

But Leicester's fall has been a dramatic one, leaving them a point and two places above the bottom three.

So what has changed for the champions, and why are things going wrong for a manager who two months ago was named coach of the year at the Best Fifa Football Awards?

How bad have Leicester been?

It is 79 years since the top-flight title winners have dropped into the second tier 12 months after winning the league, but that is the prospect facing Leicester after the worst title defence yet seen.

The Foxes have yet to win away in the league all season and have started 2017 with a run of five league games without a goal.

It is a staggering contrast to their results in 2015-16, when they lost only three league matches throughout the campaign.

In fact, at the start of this season, they had lost only three times in their previous 47 Premier League games.

But since August things have unravelled fast and they have lost 13 of 24 matches, winning just five times.

What has happened to Vardy?

Jamie Vardy has had different strike partners this season whereas last year he was predominantly up front alongside Shinji Okazaki

Would you be surprised to find out Vardy's conversion rate is actually better this season than it was during the title campaign?

Vardy scored 24 Premier League goals in 2015-16, form that saw him named Football Writers' Footballer of the Year and shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or and Fifa's own Player of the Year award.

This season he has only five league goals, three of which came in one game against Manchester City, and he has scored in only one league game since 10 September - a run of 17 matches.

And what about Riyad Mahrez?

Riyad Mahrez's attacking excellence in 2015/16 earned him the PFA Player of the Year award, as well as seeing him named BBC African Footballer of the Year.

That recognition came after a season in which he scored 17 goals and provided assists for a further 11.

This year, his return from 22 matches is three goals - all penalties - and two assists.

The Kante factor

It always seemed likely Leicester would lose one, two or maybe all their three-star performers last season.

They kept hold of Vardy after he turned down a chance to move to Arsenal, but the Foxes were powerless to prevent N'Golo Kante leaving for Chelsea for about £30-million, as he reportedly had a release clause in his contract.

Kante's ability to disrupt the opposition's play they simply have not been able to replace.

A rock solid wall crumbled

Perhaps the biggest impact of Kante's departure has been on Leicester's defensive solidity.

While last season they kept 15 clean sheets in their 38 games and became notorious for eking out 1-0 wins - they managed seven in total - this term they have been conceding far more regularly and have won 1-0 only once.

The return of the Tinkerman

Leicester used fewer players last season - 23 - than any other Premier League team, with Ranieri making a total of 33 changes to his starting lineup over the course of 38 games, the fewest in the division.

This season he has reverted to being the "Tinkerman", a nickname picked up at Chelsea.

- The Daily Telegraph