Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has revealed that he has encouraged Riyad Mahrez to try to "play simple" on a more regular basis.

Mahrez has struggled to recapture the form that helped Leicester win the Premier League title last season, but Ranieri has put that down to the Algerian winger attempting to produce "something special" too many times during a match.

The Italian is quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "Of course we have to do something, have to study something, because the opponent now knows us very well and we can't continue only with Riyad and to give him all the responsibility.

"You watch the match and every time Riyad gets the ball he tried to do something special. The opponent is very careful when he receives the ball, always three opponents were close to him. I try to say to him play simple, but sometimes he takes the responsibility to do something for the team because he is our quality player.

"His season is okay, because in the Champions League he is playing well and also he is trying to do his best in the Premier League."

Mahrez has scored five times in 17 appearances in all competitions this season but Leicester only sit in 14th place in the Premier League standings.