Whole world knows it wasn't a red: Ranieri

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri believes "all the world" feels Jamie Vardy's red card and three-game suspension is unfair.

The England striker was sent off at Stoke last weekend after referee Craig Pawson ruled he had fouled Mame Biram Diouf.

The Premier League champions' appeal against the dismissal was rejected by the Football Association this week - a decision criticised by Foxes chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha - meaning Vardy will miss the Boxing Day visit of Everton, the New Year's Eve clash with West Ham and the January 2 trip to Middlesbrough.

And Ranieri has a sense of injustice.

He said: "I think all in England, all the world, watched the foul. All the world said it's not a a foul, not a red card. We made an appeal because we believe in something right.

"We are very disappointed with the result because when we make mistakes we don't appeal but that wasn't a foul. Not only for Vards but we want to defend all our players who believe it's not foul when they don't make a foul.

"I don't want to say about other challenges - it's not my matter. My matter is there was a big fight between (Stoke defender Glen) Johnson and Vardy, Johnson pushed a little more, Vardy lost his body control and when he arrived he touched the ball. That's it. I and all our club are very surprised.

"I'm very sad for the football, but that's football. Sometimes you enjoy and sometimes you don't."

Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs are also banned against Everton after their fifth yellow cards of the season, while Danny Drinkwater will be assessed after returning to training following a knee injury.

Ranieri added: "We lose three men but, when I say I have a good squad, it's true. I'm sure the players who play for the first XI will give us 100 per cent and more."