DANNY DRINKWATER said yesterday that he is confident the same core of players who inspired Leicester’s Premier League title triumph last season can turn around the Foxes’ miserable form and save them from relegation this term.

Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Swansea condemned Leicester to a fifth consecutive league loss and left Claudio Ranieri’s side just one point and one place above the drop zone, and still without a top-flight goal in 2017.

Last season’s fairytale is now a fast-fading memory and many of the players who starred in their title-winning success have come under fire for their underwhelming performances this campaign.

But Drinkwater believes those same players will make things right as Leicester seek to avoid becoming the first defending champions to be relegated since Manchester City in 1938.

“It’s another defeat that we’re not happy with, so we’ve just got to keep pulling in the same direction and hope it’ll turn,” the England international said.

“We need to force our luck rather than wait for it. We’ve waited too long for it now, so we need to push ourselves and make sure we do all we can to get the three points next time around.

“There’s no way that it’s over and we all know that.”

One shining light this season for Leicester — who managed to keep most of their title-winning squad intact last summer with N’Golo Kante’s departure to Chelsea the most notable loss — has been their Champions League exploits.

They finished top of Group G in their maiden campaign after winning four of six their games and they will next face Sevilla in the last 16.

The first leg of that tie takes place on February 22 in Spain, but first Leicester’s attention will turn to Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Millwall.

With Leicester still fighting on three fronts — albeit for different reasons — Drinkwater is hoping his side can finally start rewarding the Foxes’ fans for their support.

Birmingham boss Gianfranco Zola also thinks Ranieri will keep Leicester in the top flight.

The Italian, who played for countryman Ranieri at Napoli and Chelsea, believes his former manager deserves time at Filbert Way following his stunning title win last season.

Zola said: “I don’t think Leicester are doing anything differently from what they did last year but this time it seems to me the chemicals are different. You have to keep working and it will come back. I have been through situations like this in my career. You keep doing the right things and it will come back to you.”

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