Brendan Rodgers says his Leicester players are protected from coronavirus after spike in city cases

Brendan Rodgers says he is confident his Leicester players are ‘protected’ amid fears of a spike in coronavirus cases in the city and talk of their home games being moved to neutral venues.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that localised lockdown measures could be introduced in Leicester after 658 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the first half of this month.

It has led to speculation over the club’s three remaining matches at the King Power Stadium being switched to neutral grounds.

Brendan Rodgers is adamant that his Leicester City players are protected from coronavirus

Brendan Rodgers is adamant that his Leicester City players are protected from coronavirus 

The city of Leicester has seen an increase in virus cases and could face a localised lockdown

The city of Leicester has seen an increase in virus cases and could face a localised lockdown

Rodgers and the club say they are not commenting on what is, for now, a hypothetical situation.

But the Foxes boss does not have any concerns about the rise in cases affecting his squad.

‘As a football club we’re very protected and we’re very much still in a bubble,’ said Rodgers, who contracted coronavirus along with his wife in March.

‘The players are tested twice a week. They go back home and most of them don’t live in the central Leicester area.

‘But you are always concerned nationally that the rates are down. We couldn’t be in a better place here at the club, so obviously that gives you the confidence to continue with your work.’

A localised lockdown could see Leicester's home matches moved to a different venue

A localised lockdown could see Leicester’s home matches moved to a different venue 

Sources at the Premier League have confirmed that all 20 top-flight clubs have agreed to play at neutral venues should their home stadium be declared unusable.

However, they also said that Leicester’s situation remains hypothetical until more is known with regards the proposed lockdown.

On the pitch, meanwhile, Leicester’s post-lockdown slump continues as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Rodgers was encouraged by the display but still they failed to take advantage of a below-par Chelsea in the first half and registered only three efforts on target come the end.

Rodgers' Leicester side are yet to win since the Premier League resumed after lockdown

Rodgers’ Leicester side are yet to win since the Premier League resumed after lockdown

‘From a performance perspective, it was much more like us, we created opportunities and looked a real threat,’ said Rodgers, whose side have won two in 10 in all competitions, failing to score in five of those.

‘You look at our record, we are one of the top scorers in the division, but it’s about getting that first goal and our intensity back. Since the restart we haven’t been as clinical. We haven’t been able to take those opportunities.

‘We switched off for one second and they get their goal. I feel for the players because they deserved more.

Rodgers' Foxes lost 1-0 to Frank Lampard's Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday

Rodgers’ Foxes lost 1-0 to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday 

The defeat to Chelsea was another game where star striker Jamie Vardy failed to find the net

The defeat to Chelsea was another game where star striker Jamie Vardy failed to find the net 

‘But it has given us a lot of encouragement to get the results in the last seven games to make it a fantastic season.’

Rodgers also defended striker Jamie Vardy, who has not scored in three matches since the restart and looks a yard short of his best.

‘The movement, the threat and the work-rate he had pre-break is still there,’ he said. ‘He looks fit and strong but you can go through a spell where you don’t score.

‘But the responsibility is with the team. We are not getting the opportunities we would like him to have. We need to contribute more as a team.’

Leave a Reply