Brendan Rodgers returns to Liverpool at helm of high-flying Leicester
Klopp’s side will focus on maintaining their perfect start to the league campaign today
the process of rebuilding the team — of the title-winning lineup, only goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and striker Jamie Vardy have been regular starters this season.
Having been touted as a contender to finish 6th in the league, the “best of the rest,” before the campaign, the Foxes’ subsequent form has seen them spoken of as a top-four side.
Leicester have lost just once this season and are third in the league on 14 points, nestled behind Liverpool and Manchester City.
But Rodgers is cautious. “It is still all going to take time. The gap has increased between the top and the rest of the top six, so there is still a big ask to close that,” he said in an interview with the Telegraph.
“We spent £19 million ($23.5 million) net in the summer and lost our center-half, but it does not stop us wanting to challenge. I am loving it here and the challenge of taking the team up there.”
The manager has blended an exciting crop of young players including England pair Ben Chilwell and James Maddison and midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes with older heads such as Schmeichel, Vardy and Jonny Evans.
Marc Albrighton, a survivor of the title-winning team who appeared from the bench in Sunday’s 5-0 defeat of Newcastle United, believes the current group is stronger than the squad 3 years ago.
Klopp is well aware of Leicester’s threat, particularly if the Premier League leaders defend like they did against Salzburg, when they squandered a three-goal lead before recovering to win 4-3.