Ranieri delighted with Chelsea revival

Leicester 0, Chelsea 4

Ranieri insisted he is happy to take any criticism aimed at the Blues on his own shoulders rather than it be directed at his players.

But he was also looking to see how they would respond to a run of just seven points from six games and was pleased with the outcome as two goals from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink set Chelsea on the way to victory.

Ranieri said: "I prefer when everything is wrong to take my responsibility. I don't want to put pressure on the new squad. The new squad is like a child. If a child makes a mistake and you put them under pressure, a child cannot grow up with confidence.

"I prefer it when everyone is against me and not the players. I am an old man. I have seen a lot of that. I have been a manager since 1987."

Ranieri added: "I know there are good and bad moments but for me it was important to check on my players and how they responded in the bad moments. In the bad moment, they answered very well.

"Against Charlton we switched off but in other matches they have done well. Everyone is involved. It is like a family. When everything is right, everyone enjoys it. When it goes wrong, the right families respond in the right way. I wanted to check this and I am happy."

Ranieri said of his side's victory: "The first half was very good. We scored two goals and created other good chances. In the second half it was more difficult. We knew they wanted to put us under pressure with the high balls but today everyone was very focused.

"I think we also played well against Liverpool in midweek but we lost. For us it was important to continue in that way and try to win.

"When the team win everyone says everything is right. When the team lose, everything is wrong. Against Liverpool, only the goal was wrong.

"But I am very proud of my players because they are giving the maximum. They always try to do that. But the players cannot stay at a high level all the year," he said.

Leicester manager Micky Adams said: "I was disappointed with the first-half performance and the second goal just before half-time was a killer.

"We rallied a little in the second half. Cudicini made a good save and we had one cleared off the line. It was not our day.

"We needed that break and it would have been interesting to see what we could do against them. But they never looked like conceding goals. I thought John Terry, Marcel Desailly and Carlo Cudicini were enormous for them.

"While we lost 4-0, we have to understand the difference between the sides and it's a lot of money. He's bought some quality players and we couldn't cope with them.

"We can give teams a decent game when everyone is fit and available but we didn't have that today but I don't want to come in here and sound like some managers who lose and all they talk about is injuries," he said.

Leicester threatened a comeback in the second half but late goals from Adrian Mutu his first after 13 games without one and Celestine Babayaro sealed the win.

LEICESTER: Walker, Impey, Howey, Dabizas, Davidson, Scowcroft, Nalis (Brooker 68), McKinlay (Hignett 82), Stewart, Dickov, Bent (Ferdinand 68).

CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Desailly, Terry, Babayaro, Gronkjaer (Geremi 64), Lampard, Makelele, Cole (Gallas 79), Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen (Mutu 74).

Referee: U Rennie.