Leicester's Okazaki: Ranieri unleashed half-time tirade in win vs. Newcastle

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri shed his happy-go-lucky demeanour at the interval of Monday's match against Newcastle United, sharing some harsh words with his players, according to Shinji Okazaki, the lone scorer in the contest.

Ranieri, one of the Premier League's elder statesmen, couldn't contain his emotion on the touchline throughout the nervous encounter at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes managed to preserve a 1-0 win over the Magpies, and Ranieri's rare half-time hairdryer treatment appeared to have a positive effect on the team.

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"We've got a five-point gap again now so it was a very important match to win. But the manager was so angry at half-time. He is smiling most of the time, but when we came in at half-time he was mad," said Okazaki, whose wonderfully executed overhead kick held up as the match-winner. "He is always joking but maybe to see him angry like that is good for us."

Leicester could wrap up an unlikely Premier League title with 20 points from its final eight matches of the season. Ranieri has so far denied anyone willing to anoint his side as the favourite to capture the crown, and Okazaki believes the Italian has insulated the team from that kind of unwanted attention.

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"I think one of the things about this team is that it is so simple," said the Japan international. "Our spirit is very good for each game - nice and simple. No pressure."