Claudio Ranieri to toast Leicester's 40-point haul

Claudio Ranieri says Leicester will toast their first half of the season with champagne and pizza after reaching the 40-point mark.

The Foxes have been the surprise package of the campaign, beginning 2016 level on points with Premier League leaders Arsenal - after being bottom of the table exactly 12 months ago.

Despite their meteoric rise and maintaining their potential title challenge, Ranieri has played down their chances all year, insisting that getting 40 points, the widely-accepted tally needed to stay up, remained the aim.

Leicester reached the landmark on Saturday courtesy of a goalless draw at home to Bournemouth, but it was tinged with disappointment.

Ranieri's team played for more than half an hour against 10 men and Riyad Mahrez saw a penalty saved. The stalemate saw the Foxes fall two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table as their run without a win reached three matches.

Nevertheless, Ranieri was not downbeat and he and his players are planning to celebrate.

"Forty points, come on. It's fantastic. We didn't score but it's another clean sheet and champagne for my players, of course. Or maybe the chairman pays. I buy the pizza," said Ranieri, who in October treated his players to pizza when they kept their first clean sheet of the season.

Ranieri then challenged his players to pick up even more points in the second half of the season than they managed during the first.

He said: "Now we must achieve the next goal and remain calm. We did 39 points in the first half (of the season) so in the second half we try to make 40 points.

"I know it's difficult but this league is crazy. We are safe so we try."