Rodgers: We’ll finish where we deserve to
SECOND-HALF CAPITULATION LEAVES CITY CLINGING ON TO A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
LEICESTER City are clinging on to their Champions League spot after imploding in a 4-1 loss at Bournemouth, writes Jordan Blackwell.
City capitulated in the second half at the Vitality Stadium to fall to a heavy defeat to the relegation battlers, and could drop out of the top four for the first time since September tonight if Manchester United beat Southampton.
City had the opportunity to get back to third after Chelsea lost to Sheffield United, but their backs are now against the wall, with the Blades, Tottenham and United to play in their final three games.
The first of Bournemouth’s four came after Kasper Schmeichel’s poor kick-out, and the skipper apologised after the loss.
“It got away from us,” he said. “It starts from myself with a mistake from the goal kick. I have to take accountability for that.
“On the second it hits the other side of my knee, and on another day it could have gone a different direction. I am very, very sorry to the fans for the second half particularly. They came out with a different mentality but we have to deal with that. I thought we were in control in the first half. The margins weren’t with us.
“Like I said, it starts with myself. This is football. These things can happen. They shouldn’t but they do sometimes. We have to reflect on that and work harder if we are going to achieve anything this season. It’s an eye opener.”
Brendan Rodgers said: “I didn’t see that coming but we are not good enough to get too comfortable. We were in control, Bournemouth changed their shape and you expect a 10-minute spell when you are up against it. But we let them into the game with a penalty and I was very disappointed with how we played from there. It’s not like us.
“I’ve always said it’s a dream for us to finish in the top four but we have to worry about playing well.
“At the moment, since we came back we have been playing for 45 minutes in games and that’s not enough. We will finish where we deserve to.
“If you think about what is at stake you have lost your focus.”