Real Madrid, Sven, Becks and now the Sky Blues

Leicester City is a club with big ambitions it seems. Having appointed Sven Goran Eriksson as manager last season, financed a spending spree this summer, played Real Madrid in their final pre-season friendly and now having been linked with David Beckham, the first real test of the Foxes` promotion mettle comes at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.

The tale of the tape points to a clear knockout win for the visitors against a Coventry City who have had more departures than arrivals during pre-season, are operating under Greek-style austerity measures financially and whose small squad was stretched even further by injuries sustained in a low-key final friendly against Norwich City.

Whereas a number of bookmakers have Leicester down as title favourites, Coventry are as short as 13/8 to be relegated but those who watched City in the final weeks of last season and during their friendlies will know that such thoughts are unlikely to enter Andy Thorn`s mind as he prepares for a mouth-watering start to the campaign.

'flair'

His short time in charge has been characterised by a willingness to play to his own side`s strengths, get the best out of the attacking flair players at his disposal and stick to a way of playing that the vast majority of his side are more than happy to enact out on the field.

That may or may not be enough on Saturday against a side that has been so expensively assembled but over the course of the season, with one or two breaks of the ball it should be more than enough to defy those who think the Sky Blues are League One-bound.

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