Leicester City have been tipped to steer clear of relegation despite being handed a six point penalty, with former Foxes title winner Marc Albrighton confident the setback could even work in their favour.
The club were punished after being found in breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules for the 2023 to 2024 financial period. The sanction has seen Leicester drop to the foot of the Championship table and dragged firmly into a relegation scrap. With 16 games still to play, they sit level on points with the teams around them and are only outside the bottom three on goal difference.
Leicester have already signalled their intention to explore an appeal, describing the punishment as excessive in an official statement.
Albrighton, speaking on talkSPORT, believes the confirmation of the deduction removes a cloud that had been hanging over the club.
“I’m glad it’s been confirmed,” he said. “Now they can deal with it and move forward.”
He remains optimistic about their survival chances, even acknowledging the scale of the challenge ahead.
“They are in a relegation fight, no doubt about that, but now everything is clear. They can focus fully on keeping the club in the division.”
Albrighton also feels the timing of the decision could help Leicester as they look to appoint a permanent manager.
“With Andy King in charge just now, you’ve got someone everyone respects, both the supporters and the players,” he added. “Having the certainty over the points situation probably strengthens their hand when it comes to bringing in a new manager.”
He finished by backing the squad to do enough on the pitch. “There’s enough quality in that dressing room to keep them clear of relegation.”