CLOSING THE GAP

RODGERS LOOKING AT HOW CITY CAN CLIMB TO THE TOP AGAIN

LEICESTER City will continue their quest to bridge the gap to Manchester City over the next couple of years – but without the half-a-billion pound transfer expenditure, writes Jordan Blackwell.

City were defeated by the runaway Premier League leaders and likely champions on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side easing to a 2-0 victory once they had made their breakthrough just before the hour.

Their performance, including a domination of possession and territory, showed the level of quality perhaps needed to get Leicester from the top four to the very top.

Guardiola has spent more than £800 million on transfers since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium to build his brilliant team, and while that level of pay-outs are unfathomable for City, Rodgers said with their continued smart investment and coaching, they will aim to get to Man City’s level.

Asked if it was possible to get his Leicester team to Man City’s level, Rodgers said: “If you can get me £500 million, we probably won’t be too far off it! They’re an incredible team, but if you see how we try to play, our idea of football is there.

“They have that level of quality – and quality of manager, he’s the best in the world for me, he’s an incredible operator in his work.

“These are hugely gifted players who can do every facet of the game you want in terms of running ability, technique, immaculate tactically, strong, and of course the top players are always ambitious.

“But I think if you’d seen our last game against Manchester United, we pressed the ball well, we passed the ball well and that’s what we’ve been developing over these last couple of years.

“So hopefully, if I can be here for the four or five years Pep has been in charge, we can consistently get better.”

Rodgers will be here for that length of time if both he and the club honour his contract, which runs until the summer of 2025.