Rodgers ready to roll as Foxes hit the heights
BRENDAN RODGERS was adamant Leicester will fight to maintain their challenge at the top of the Premier League.
Jamie Vardy’s penalty sealed a 1-0 win over Wolves as the Foxes went top of the table yesterday.
The striker also had a second spot-kick saved by Rui Patricio but Leicester have now won six straight games in all competitions – three of them in the league.
They go to second-place Liverpool next and, while Rodgers urged caution, he remains ambitious.
He said: ‘It’s been an incredible start, I’m so happy for the players.
‘We couldn’t have asked for a better start. I have always said failure is learning and if anyone says us not getting into the Champions League last season was failing then, okay. For us it was about learning and developing.
‘It’s going to be tough to sustain that with the injuries we’ve had but we have played 12 games and won nine in all competitions.
‘It has been an incredible focus. Our idea is to sustain that but I can’t promise. We had to show a different side to the team. The first half we were very good without the football and in the second we had to show real resilience.
‘We have seen that this season, the players are developing and to show that mentality and desire is so pleasing.’
Vardy grabbed the winner after 15 minutes when Max Kilman handled Dennis Praet’s cross. It needed a VAR intervention as referee Anthony Taylor failed to give it but the official pointed to the spot having checked the monitor.
Wolves were poor and Patricio bailed them out six minutes before the break, denying Vardy a second goal from the spot. Rayan Ait-Nouri failed to control a high ball, allowing James Justin to wriggle ahead and the full-back was fouled.
But while Vardy’s penalty was powerful, it was too close to Patricio who dived right to parry – with the rebound hitting the striker and going wide.
Wolves improved after the break but Patricio still needed to turn Vardy’s fierce angled drive over.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side tried to find a leveller and Kasper Schmeichel’s fine save denied Ruben Neves as Leicester held on.