In many ways, Leicester's fall back to earth after rising beyond the stratosphere was inevitable. Gravity, in the form of the Premier League's established tropes, has taken grip.
This time last November Claudio Ranieri's side had collected 22 points from 11 games to sit third, well on their way to a legend-forging title. Now they hold just 12 points to stand two above the drop zone's black hole. Only Chelsea’s 11 points last season ranks as a worse start to a Premier League defence.
Before the campaign started Ranieri justifiably said Leicester's odds for a consecutive title should be higher than the 5,000-1 price they made a mockery of last season.