Claudio Ranieri said Leicester are in contention to do "something special" after the unlikely leaders moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Ranieri's side won 1-0 at Watford thanks to a superb second-half strike from Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez and they are now just nine matches away from arguably the most remarkable title triumph in English football history.

With second-placed Tottenham and third-placed Arsenal playing out a 2-2 draw earlier in the day, Foxes boss Ranieri, who has been coy about naming his team as title contenders, finally set his sights on the trophy.

"At the start of the season I said we needed one more than 39 from last season. Of course now we are running for something special," Ranieri said.

"I don't know who is behind us, I said to my players 'every match is a final'. I don't know how many points we need."

While Ranieri is clearly growing more confident about Leicester's chances of winning the title, the former Chelsea boss is keen to ensure his players don't get carried away.

"The title is not ours. We have to fight a lot, step by step and keep our feet on the ground. At the end we can see what happens," he said.

"I'm sorry, we know every team can win or lose so it has to be slowly, slowly.

"Now there will be only battles for everybody, not just for us."

Asked if he was aware Leicester, who last year narrowly avoided relegation, have won the backing of most neutrals with their astonishing title bid, Ranieri added: "Yes, I feel this as people stop me to say 'Thank you'.

"There is a good energy behind us and we must continue with this energy."