LONDON • Leicester City are fourth in the Premier League but Brendan Rodgers has brushed off suggestions of a title chase, insisting that securing a European spot is the priority for his team.
The Foxes have kept pace with the leaders domestically despite the tolls of Europa League games. They are on 29 points, four behind Liverpool and Manchester United.
Rodgers’ men are through to the last 32 of the Europa League and will face Slavia Prague next month, and he believes that to qualify for Europe again at the end of this campaign with a heavier schedule would be a “great success”.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of today’s Premier League clash at Newcastle, the 47-year-old said: “I’m always honest and let you know what we’re thinking, and our thinking is if we can have European football again next season, with the stage that the team is at in its development, that would be a great success.
“With all due respect to the teams above us, the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, these teams are fantastic teams full of experienced players who have been building for a number of years. We’re not at that level. That’s my honest assessment of it.
“We’re building something to be as competitive as we can possibly be without the finances that allows those teams to get to that level. We’ll continue on that journey.
“The ambition is there, the spirit is there, so that’s something that pleases me.”
At St James’ Park, Leicester will hope for a repeat of last season’s new year opener, which ended with a 3-0 victory.
Rodgers is likely to rotate his side again after resting players for the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
Wesley Fofana, Timothy Castagne, Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, James Maddison and Jamie Vardy are expected to come back into the side.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce, meanwhile, is wary of the threat the Foxes can pose when they are playing away.
He said: “For Leicester, away from home, maybe it suits them better because they can play slightly on the counter-attack… if you leave spaces in behind, Jamie Vardy is as good as you’re going to play against as a centre forward.”
NEWCASTLE V LEICESTER
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, 10.15pm