Against all odds, Leicester City are five points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

With a meagre budget, the Foxes have seen the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy develop beyond anyone’s expectations. Coupled by signing unexpected top performers like N’Golo Kanté and Christian Fuchs, it’s been an unlikely formula for a title challenge.

“It is important to know that with quality work, quality scouting and quality management you can have great results,” said Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger on Friday morning.

“It is very romantic and I understand the whole country [being behind them].

“That is human. I think as well that [the story] is good for football, and it goes against the usual practice in our game, which is spend and buy big stars.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Arsene Wenger Manager of Arsenal gestures during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on February 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Arsène Wenger will be gunning for Leicester City on Sunday. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

All season long, plenty of fans and pundits have said Leicester weren’t capable of lasting the distance. However, after playing Arsenal on Sunday, Claudio Ranieri’s men have nine games ahead of them which look very winnable before a tough final month.

But they’ve already faced tough challenges and come through them. Five points clear of Arsenal and Tottenham heading into the weekend, right now nobody is writing them off.

“Leicester today are in a strong position and they have certainly silenced all the doubters since the start of the season because at Christmas people were saying they would not be there and now we are at Easter and they are still there.

“In the last week they showed they have solid potential to win the league, with two positive results against Liverpool and Manchester City away. Everybody now thinks they are on the same level as everybody else to win it and they have a mathematical advantage of five points.”

That mathematical advantage over Arsenal could be cut to two or extended to eight by Sunday afternoon. With a tough away schedule to come, only one will keep Arsenal in the hunt.