Their campaign began with a flurry of goals but it’s nerves of steel - and a run of 1-0 victories - propelling Leicester to the title now. How many times have I said to you about 1-0? What does it mean? It means championship form. I dont mind the 1-0s, I really dont because it tells you we are determined, were going to defend, do the right things and play as a team. - Sir Alex Ferguson, 2012These words from the legendary Manchester United manager came following a 1-0 win over Fulham on Monday Night Football in March 2012. Ferguson, of course, knows a thing or two about title races and has many fond memories of this particular scoreline. Its 20 years since the famous 1995/96 season in which Manchester United overhauled Kevin Keegans Newcastle with the help of eight 1-0 victories. Seven of them came from January onwards, with Eric Cantona scoring the only goal of the game in five of those matches.Ferguson has not forgotten it, as became clear in an interview with Sky Sports last month. We won eight games 1-0 and won the league, said the Scot. These are championship-winning games without question. And it also helps explain why Ferguson is backing Leicester to lift the title too. Leicester have been fearless in defending 1-0 leads in recent weeks The Foxes have now won seven games by one goal to nil so far this season. Remarkably, theyve won each of their last four matches by this scoreline and five of their last six. Its making for some nervy finales for Claudio Ranieris team but their levels of concentration have been impeccable.In Fergusons final season as a manager, Manchester United won 16 matches by the odd goal and there are echoes of that propensity to edge matches evident in Leicesters campaign. No team has won more than 14 games in a season this way since - but the Foxes have already done it 14 times in 2015/16. One-goal Premier League wins in 2015/16 Team Wins by one-goal margin Leicester 14 West Brom 10 Man Utd 9 Stoke 9 The consistency has been there all season, added Ferguson. If they retain that consistency I cant see anything going wrong for them. Perhaps theres only one bad omen. Though Ferguson revelled in that 1-0 win over Fulham, his side were pipped to the title by Manchester City and Sergio Aguero.Leicester will want to avoid such an outcome, but the process is nevertheless a familiar one for Ferguson and others. Winning 1-0 is not a result to worry about. Indeed, 1-0 to the champions could become a familiar refrain from Leicesters supporters in the coming weeks and months. Claudio Ranieri praised his sides fantastic effort against Southampton Also See: Ranieri hails fantastic effort Leicesters turnaround Custom Basketball Jerseys Outlet . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Custom Basketball Jerseys Online . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. http://www.basketballcustomjerseys.com/ . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. Custom Atlanta Hawks Jerseys Cheap . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Discount Custom Basketball Jerseys . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers suddenly have a huge void in their receiving corps as they chase another Super Bowl berth: Michael Crabtree is sidelined after surgery on his right Achilles tendon. San Franciscos leading wide receiver underwent surgery Wednesday, though the team is optimistic he will return at some point in 2013. Crabtree was operated on at Stanford by Dr. Tim McAdams one day after suffering the injury during 7-on-7 drills in an organized team activity. "Michael Crabtree underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon that he tore yesterday," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Surgery was successful and we do not anticipate it will be season-ending for Michael. It was completely torn, and completely repaired." Harbaugh would not speculate when Crabtree might return to play. The 25-year-old Crabtree, the teams 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Texas Tech, had career highs last season with 85 receptions for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns for the NFC champion Niners, who lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl. USA Today first reported that Crabtree was hurt during Tuesdays OTA, citing an unidentified source. Harbaugh said Crabtree went in motion, planted to begin a route and "felt like somebody kicked him in the Achilles, which sometimes people say that feels like." Having the operation right away was considered the best option so Crabtree has the chance to return this year -- unlike with running back Kendall Hunter last season, who had the same injury but the decision was made to wait some time before surgery. "Good news is he woke up from the surgery and the first thing, asked the doctor how it went," Harbaugh said. "(The doctor) talked about the success of the surgery and he didnt anticipate hed be out for the year. His comment to that was, Got no choice but to be back. Every day now is a healing day, and that starts today." This is a tough blow for the two-time defending NFC West champions after Crabtrees breakout 2012 season. He was one of the big reasons the franchise returned to the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years, clicking with quarterback Colin Kaepernick after his promotion to starter in November over departed 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick Alex Smith. "Its a setback, but Michaels young, hes strong. Everything will be a positive approach to healing and well anticipate great things," Harbaugh said. "Another thing right now is if you look at the young receivers on our team that will emerge because they have to emerge. Im excited to watch them compete for that spot." Harbaugh wouldnt say whether the 49ers would look outside the organization for a replacement with Crabtree out, or even if the team would connsider bringing back Randy Moss.dddddddddddd "Were excited for the young receivers that we have, and feel that somebodys going to emerge there," he said. "Competition will create that, and well look forward to watching that." Anquan Boldin, acquired in a trade with the Ravens this spring, will be counted upon to carry a bulk of the load. Boldin missed Wednesdays practice for what Harbaugh called "some prior commitments for this week." Boldin had 65 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns for the Ravens last season. Kaepernick and Crabtree were eager to get back on the field together after falling just short in New Orleans back in February. "Its an injury. Nobody wants it to happen no matter who it is," Kaepernick said. Kaepernicks fourth-down throw into the end zone in the closing moments sailed over Crabtree. Harbaugh and the 49ers argued that Crabtree got held, bumped by cornerback Jimmy Smith with safety Ed Reed trailing the play. Crabtree also had five TDs and 30 catches on third-down plays last season -- both stats among the top five in the NFL. Kaepernick offered an easy explanation as to why they clicked so well: "He got open." He has bounced back the past two seasons from several injuries. After a 71-day contract stalemate as a rookie, Crabtree was sidelined during the 2010 preseason with a neck injury. Again a year later he was out with a broken foot sustained while working out in Alex Smith-organized practices during the NFL lockout. In 2011, Crabtree led the team in catches (72) and yards receiving (874), but San Francisco came up short of a Super Bowl. While he had four catches for 25 yards and a 4-yard touchdown reception in a 36-32 victory against Drew Brees and the favoured Saints in the NFC divisional playoffs, it was the NFC championship game Crabtree remembers as a most disappointing day. San Franciscos receivers had just one catch for 3 yards -- yes, it was by him -- and Crabtree was targeted four times in a 20-17 overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Crabtree said that performance helped fuel him last year. "Obviously hes a great player, hes done a lot for this team," Kaepernick said. "We just have to have someone step up. Hes not happy about it, hes just trying to get healthy now. Crabs going to work, hes going to be back." Notes: The 49ers signed fourth-round draft pick WR Quinton Patton to a four-year contract. ... The team also claimed tight end/long snapper Kyle Nelson off of waivers from the San Diego Chargers and waived P Anthony Santella. ... Also gone Wednesday were S Darcel McBath, who Harbaugh said was ill; LT Joe Staley, C Jonathan Goodwin, CB Tarell Brown and LB NaVorro Bowman. ' ' '