We’re making life difficult for ourselves

Rodgers on top four battle

LEICESTER City have put themselves in a tricky situation but go to Manchester United with confidence thanks to their record against the top sides, writes Jordan Blackwell.

City head to Old Trafford tonight with a five-point cushion inside the Champions League places.

But manager Brendan Rodgers knows it could be far more comfortable, with only one point earned from the past two games against 10-man Southampton and at home to Newcastle.

Facing European rivals Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham in the final three, Rodgers acknowledges City have “made it difficult for themselves”, but knows they can look to previous games against the elite as proof of their quality.

City have beaten all of the socalled big six this season, five in the Premier League and then Manchester United in the FA Cup.

They will hope it’s a trend that continues tonight as they look for a first win at Old Trafford since 1998.

“They’re all big, they’re all exciting,” Rodgers said on the upcoming opponents. “They’re all great opportunities for us.

“We’re playing the Europa League finalists, so that’s a huge game.

“All the teams that we have to play over the course of this end part of the season we’ve beaten, so we can take that confidence into those games.

“It doesn’t make them any easier but we know that we have the quality and ability to do that.

“It shows you how well they’ve done in a lot of the other games, it shows you how well these players have done to be up there competing and fighting.

“We are very close to achieving what we want but we know we have to fight and we have made it difficult for ourselves, that’s the reality. In the last two games we haven’t got the results we wanted to.

“That means we have to really push and look to win these games, starting with the next game.”

Such a surprising and deflating defeat as that against Newcastle threatens to take the wind out of

City’s sails, and the fear they will once again fall short of the top four adds extra pressure.

But Rodgers has said his players will be lifted after a few days of honesty around that 4-2 defeat.

“My approach is always to support the players, that’s my role,” he said.

“I never get too carried away when we win or too disappointed when we lose.

“I am always disappointed, of course, but the nature of this game is you have this disappointment. It’s support, getting around them, being candid where we can be better and then getting into the next game. There’s everything to play for still.”