Dean Smith appointed as Leicester's interim manager, confirms club

Leicester City have confirmed that Dean Smith will be their interim manager until the end of the current season, as confirmed on their official website. Smith will be joined at the King Power Stadium by assistants Craig Shakespeare and John Terry, both of whom he worked with at Aston Villa. The club has tasked him with helping them escape relegation, with the Foxes currently sitting at 19th place on the table and just two points away from safety, having been without a manager since Brendan Rodgers was dismissed after their 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on April 1.

'I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season,' Smith said, adding that he had taking over a side that had only picked up a single point from the previous 24 available. However, Smith believes that with the quality of the squad and the number of games left, it's still possible to achieve their goals, saying, 'the challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before.'

The interim appointment will be supported by first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell, both of whom oversaw two games as caretaker managers, resulting in defeats to Aston Villa and Bournemouth. Smith's first test as interim manager will be leading his team against Manchester City in an away match, before heading into three successive games against sides battling against relegation: Wolves, Leeds United and Everton.

Although Smith's current deal is set to run until the end of the current season, 90min reported earlier that an extension will be considered if Leicester City is impressed with the former Norwich City boss's work and his coaching staff. On Saturday, Smith and his team will be looking to make an impression on their fans and bring home some much-needed points to help the Foxes out of the relegation zone.