Perfect welcome gift for Rodgers
BRENDAN Rodgers is in the building and Leicester are winning again. Rodgers’ only involvement in this match was as an observer from the stands but the sense of optimism that met his appointment found fuel in his new side’s first win since January 1.
As he was negotiating his exit from Celtic yesterday, in a £5million compensation package, Rodgers left this game to two caretaker coaches and watching on he will have had no doubt that his decision to leave Parkhead was the right one.
He had achieved his ambitions in Scotland and has long been ready to return to the Premier League. He wants to reaffirm his ability as an elite manager, having left Liverpool in October 2015 under something of a cloud. His task at the King Power will be to extract the best from a talented squad and ultimately get back into Europe.
This display reminded us that the materials are all there.
There were pleasing performances from a host of players including Harvey Barnes, whose raids down the left were a perpetual threat, and Youri Tielemans, who has already given reason for Leicester to make his loan from Monaco permanent in the summer.
Brighton did cause problems, with Glenn Murray guilty of a remarkable miss before slashing a late chance into the side-netting. There was some anxiety for Leicester but after a run of seven defeats in nine matches, the result was all-important.
For Chris Hughton, this was another match that slipped through his fingers. Brighton have not won in six and are only three points above the relegation places. ‘Those small margins are not going for us at the moment,’ said Hughton.
But this was a night about a manager not in the dugout. Having courted Rodgers from afar since before Christmas, Leicester moved
quickly after sacking Claude Puel to install him as manager in time for this game — and the mood at the King Power, so sour during Saturday’s defeat by Crystal Palace, was altered in a stroke.
Rodgers was shown on the big screens walking to his seat in the directors’ box before kick-off and, as his name was announced, a raucous atmosphere broke out. Rodgers seemed a little taken aback by the adulation.
‘I’ll give my life to make the supporters proud of their club,’ said Rodgers when his appointment on a contract until 2022 worth around £5.5million a year was confirmed. He signed the paperwork alongside Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester’s vice-chairman who had flown in from Thailand to complete the club’s first major act since the death of his father Vichai.
Arriving with Rodgers was Chris Davies as assistant manager, Glen Driscoll on fitness, and Kolo Toure as a coach. Rodgers inherits Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler, the duo who took charge of this match.
Leicester claimed the lead inside 10 minutes. Tielemans slipped in Demarai Gray with an exquisite pass and the Englishman’s finish was too powerful for Mat Ryan. Kasper Schmeichel made a double save from Pascal Gross and Anthony Knockaert to maintain Leicester’s lead. Five minutes after the break, the Dane could only look on as Murray somehow fired over from six yards.
Shortly after the hour, Jamie Vardy made no mistake from similar range. But Brighton responded quickly. There was an element of fortune as Knockaert’s cross deflected off Ben Chilwell into Davy Propper’s path. His shimmy and shot beyond Schmeichel was pure quality, however.
But Leicester held on. Rodgers stood to applaud at the final whistle. Now the real work begins.