Jordan James Confident Leicester City Can Avoid Relegation

Jordan James Confident Leicester City Can Avoid Relegation

Jordan James Confident Leicester City Can Avoid Relegation

Midfielder Jordan James believes the idea of Leicester City facing back-to-back relegations into League One is unfathomable, emphasizing that the Foxes are "only looking up" the Championship table.

Following defeats to Southampton and Sheffield United last week, where Leicester conceded three first-half goals in each match, the East Midlands club finds itself just six places and seven points above the relegation zone.

James, a Wales international, described the current standings in the second tier as "carnage," noting that despite being in 16th place, Leicester is closer to the play-off spots after 18 games, with Bristol City in sixth just five points ahead.

"If you think Leicester can be in League One, then you have lost your mind," the 21-year-old told BBC Radio Leicester. "The players we have are Premier League players, and that will become evident. I genuinely believe that.

"I won’t let that [relegation to League One] happen, and many players won’t let it happen either; our leaders in the group will ensure it doesn’t occur. For us, we are only focused on looking up. Things can change very quickly in football."

While the potential for a points penalty over alleged breaches of spending rules looms over the club—currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the Premier League—James insists that these off-field issues are not a distraction for the team.

"We don’t really think about the points deduction; our focus is on where we are now, the points we currently have, and how many we need to reach our goals," he told BBC East Midlands Today. "If a points deduction is imposed, we will address it then. For now, it’s beyond our control."

In a season where Leicester has struggled since returning to the Championship, summer loan signing James has been a consistent and standout performer. His powerful 83rd-minute strike against Sheffield United provided Leicester with a glimmer of hope after Stephy Mavididi had already reduced the deficit for the hosts.

However, Leicester ultimately fell short, with the Blades securing a 3-2 victory, intensifying the pressure on Foxes manager Marti Cifuentes.

James came to his manager's defense, stating that the team’s improved second-half performance was a testament to their unity. "We are committed to securing three points for ourselves and for him because he deserves it," he said. "The first half, being 3-0 down, was not acceptable, and we acknowledge that. We apologize to the fans for that poor start.

"At half-time, we told ourselves, 'This is not who we are or who we want to be.' We demonstrated a different level of fight in the second half. We understand the fans' frustration; we can see and feel it. It is our responsibility to change that situation."

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