Leicester City should drop under-performing duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez as they battle to survive in the Premier League, former player Tony Cottee has claimed.
The top-flight champions sit one place and one point above the relegation zone, having lost 2-0 at a rapidly-improving Swansea City on Sunday.
Vardy and Mahrez were arguably the poster boys for their shock league win last year, but they have mustered just eight league goals between them this campaign, in contrast to the 32 they had at this stage last season.
"Claudio Ranieri should be loyal to his players for what they did last season, but there comes a point where you have to look at how those players are performing," Cottee told Sky Sports News.
"Mahrez has been well off the pace this season, nowhere near the player he was last season. Vardy has not been the same player either. There's a slight argument that the service has not been as good, which is true to a degree, but neither player on form is worthy of retaining their place.
"Ranieri has to look at all options and he needs to look tactically. Traditionally it's 4-4-2, but can he play a different system? Does he need to play three centre-halves? They've tried it a bit this season. You look at Islam Slimani, Shinji Okazaki, are they better players than Mahrez and Vardy? Probably not, but they've got to try it."
Leicester are the first reigning top-flight champions to fail to score in six consecutive league matches.
Giuseppe Labellarte
