Kasper Schmeichel & Matthew Upson amongst reasons for Leicester optimism

Kasper Schmeichel staying at Leicester City is a big plus for them

The promoted three are always expected to go straight back down again but maybe Leicester City can buck the trend?

Leicester City will go into the Premier League season among the favourites to be relegated, despite winning the Championship last term.

The Foxes impressed when cruising to promotion in 2013-14, but there are many pundits who feel the big step up in class will see them slip straight back down.

But if you dig deeper, the signs are there that they are capable of defying the odds and surviving in the top flight. Here are three reasons to feel confident if you are a Leicester fan or thinking of backing the Foxes to stay up...

1 - The manager

Nigel Pearson was a solid, uncompromising centre half in his playing days and, not surprisingly, his teams are always very well organised at the back.

Defending seems to have gone out of fashion of late and some people are of the opinion that you need to try and outscore the opposition. But teams have shown in recent years that a solid back four can prove crucial, especially if you are a team battling in the bottom half of the table.

Pearson has already brought in the experienced Matthew Upson to offer more competition at the back, while goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel's decision to extend his stay is a major plus.

The manager is likely to go with the 'build from the back' approach and that could work in their favour, especially in clashes against sides also fighting to survive.

2 - Transfer policy

Pearson may not have the biggest budget compared with promoted teams in the past, but the Leicester board have already shown they are willing to back their manager in the transfer market.

The Foxes boss looks to be going about things the right way, when looking to bring in new faces to add to his promotion-winning squad.

Pearson appears to be targeting the players with a point to prove - either players that have had previous experience in the top flight and want to show that's where they belong, or loan deals for young Premier League players, who want to prove their worth to their parent club.

Couple that with an atmosphere at the King Power Stadium that will make it tough for visiting teams, and you have a potential recipe for success - which ultimately will be Premier League survival for Leicester.

3 - Three worse teams

Although there is quite a lot of wheeling and dealing still to do, on paper, there looks like there will be three worse teams than Leicester.

Several established top flight clubs will be anxiously looking over their shoulders this season, after disappointing campaigns last term.

The likes of Aston Villa, West Brom and Newcastle ended last season on a downward spiral and there is major pressure on their managers to deliver during the summer transfer window and get off to a good start.

There are also the two other promoted teams to consider, Queen's Park Rangers and Burnley. The Clarets are expected by many to finish bottom, mainly due to a small transfer budget and a largely inexperienced squad.

It's hard to examine QPR's hopes until they reveal how keen they are to splash the cash, but they may be more cautious after their last spell in the top flight.

There are also the likes of Sunderland and Swansea to consider, after their season of struggle last term, while Hull City will have to also contend with European football during the upcoming campaign.