Top-four finish - rather than a Cup win - could be key to keeping elite boss Brendan

THIS is a defining week in Leicester City’s history and the future of their elite manager Brendan Rodgers.

They can earn a moment of glory in the FA Cup by beating Chelsea. Fantastic, but short-lived.

But then a rematch against Chelsea on Tuesday in the league, which is shaping up to be almost like a play-off to see who gets into the Champions League next season, assuming Liverpool finish with maximum points.

In a way, the second game on Tuesday might have a bigger impact than today’s FA Cup final on the future of Leicester, Rodgers and the long-term building of the club.

Obviously you want to win BOTH. They’ll go all out to win both, and they can, but if you had to choose one – and it’s a big debate – club-wise it might be the second one they need to win more than the first, to keep Rodgers longer.

From a player’s point of view, you’d want a medal.

But when that Champions League music comes on and Brendan Rodgers is on the touchline it means he’s an elite manager.

He wants to be head-to-head with those other elite managers. He wants to pit his wits against them tactically.

Obviously, winning the FA Cup will mean an awful lot to Rodgers.

It is the club’s first FA Cup final since 1969. On top of that they have a top-four finish in their own hands.

These two games against Chelsea dictate the season. If Liverpool win the three games they have left and get to 69 points, Chelsea and Leicester play each other, so one of them can be caught.

Personally, I think I’d choose the FA Cup win, a day of glory, a medal in the collection, a bit of club history made and something memorable for the CV.

But I think Brendan Rodgers, if he is serious about staying at Leicester a bit longer, and looking two or three years ahead, might say the Champions League is the priority.

The money and kudos they get from that might be more important in building the club up even more.

Rodgers is an elite manager. He could manage any club in the world.

He improves players. Players love him. You can see it when he greets them on the pitch with a hug, word of advice and eye contact after games. He has a human connection with them. He commands interviews. I did a podcast with him and he was so insightful.

If you win the FA Cup with Leicester but don’t finish in the top four there is a possibility he will leave sooner.

What more can he do? He has done brilliantly, it is a wonderful club. He is a Champions League manager.

Leicester are an elite side. They are one of the big six now. They ARE the elite.

Look at those players. Luke Thomas scoring a cracker at Old Trafford. Iheanacho’s contribution, Albrighton, Tielemans, Schmeichel, Vardy (below), Harvey Barnes before he was injured. They are massively overachieving.

We have to realise this: it is still Leicester City we are talking about in these terms of trophies and Champions League.

Even if they won the league, would Haaland or Mbappe go there even if they were offered half a million a week? No.

Leicester go out and find the likes of Wesley Fofana and Ricardo Pereira. They do transfers the clever way.

So it is nonsense to say if they don’t make the top four they have somehow bottled it. Nonsense.

Look at how far Spurs and Everton are behind them.

No matter what happens in the next week it has still been a remarkable season for Leicester.

The worry is that Brendan Rodgers is an elite manager and, in time, can go and manage any team in the world.