Soccer

Brendan Rodgers defends on-pitch quarrelling by Leicester players

Struggling Foxes anchored to bottom of the table but players ‘giving everthing’, says under-fire boss

Frustrated Leicester faithful make their feelings known concerning manager Brendan Rodgers's future at the end of the 5-2 away loss to Brighton on Sunday. Photograph: Getty Images
Ed Elliot, PA
Mon Sept 05 2022 - 19:35

Beleaguered Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is adamant his underperforming players are “very much together” and “giving everything” despite the club’s worst start to a Premier League season.

The struggling Foxes remain bottom of the table with just a single point after Sunday’s 5-2 hammering at Brighton condemned them to a fifth consecutive top-flight defeat. Sections of City’s travelling support turned on their under-pressure manager at the Amex Stadium, unfurling a Rodgers Out banner at full-time and chanting for him to be sacked.

Leicester’s players also vented frustration in Sussex, which included heated on-field exchanges between Wilfred Ndidi and goalkeeper Danny Ward and, later, James Maddison and substitute Daniel Amartey.

“I’m happy when that happens because they’ve got to tell each other,” said Rodgers of the disagreements. “You can’t hide behind a rock and pretend it’s not happening … collectively we’re not quite showing that talent and that’s [due to] confidence. We’re very much together, there’s no doubt about that. But the telling things to each other on the pitch, I like that. The players are giving everything and fighting.”

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After coming 12th the season after their shock 2016 title success, Leicester have registered five successive top-half finishes in the Premier League. But, following a frustrating transfer window in which he was unable to significantly add to his selection options, Rodgers has already warned that avoiding relegation is the main aim this term.

The Northern Irish man feels it is “a constant challenge” to plug gaps in his team after likening his squad to a jigsaw with missing pieces.

“We have the players that we have, that have the skill set that they have and we have to try and maximise what we can get out of them,” said Rodgers, who is favourite to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked. “For us, it’s like a jigsaw, we’ve got pieces missing and it is a constant challenge to try and fill the gaps where the pieces are missing … It’s my job and the staff’s job to keep them up there, keep them fighting, keep them working.”

VAR aftermath

Meanwhile, Lee Mason has not been selected as a VAR for a Premier League match at the weekend following a controversial disallowed goal for Newcastle on Saturday.

Mason, who became a dedicated VAR at the start of last season after retiring as a referee, was in the booth for the Newcastle v Crystal Palace match on Saturday where the home side had a goal ruled out.

On-field referee Michael Salisbury initially awarded an own goal by Tyrick Mitchell to Newcastle but, after a review was recommended by Mason, he gave a foul against Joe Willock who had collided with Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

Replays suggested the collision had been caused by Mitchell shoving Willock in the back and that the goal should have stood.

The Premier League is understood to have asked the Professional Game Match Officials Limited group responsible for referees for further information on that incident, as well as the decision to disallow Maxwel Cornet’s late goal for West Ham at Chelsea on the same afternoon.