Brendan Rodgers pledges Leicester will rise again following win against Randers in Europa Conference League
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 17/02/2022 at 23:01 GMT
Given their shaky domestic form, Brendan Rodgers needed his team to put in a solid performance against their Danish Superliga opponents. They did exactly that, with goals from Wilfred Ndidi, Harvey Barnes, Patson Daka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall giving them a commanding 4-1 lead on aggregate going into the second leg.
Brendan Rodgers was a relieved man after watching his side win 4-1 at the King Power Stadium
Image credit: Getty Images
Winless in four in the league and knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest earlier this month, Rodgers needed his team to put in a solid performance.
Rodgers has said that his Leicester side will “get back to its level” after their 4-1 win against Randers in the Europa Conference League.
Winless in four in the Premier League and knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest earlier this month, Rodgers needed his team to put in a solid performance against their Danish Superliga opponents.
They did exactly that, with goals from Wilfred Ndidi, Harvey Barnes, Patson Daka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall giving them a commanding 4-1 lead on aggregate going into the second leg.
Vito Hammershoy-Mistrati equalised for the visitors on the stroke of half time following Ndidi’s opener but, all in all, Leicester were far superior and have put themselves in a strong position to progress to the last 16.
Speaking to BT Sport after the match, Rodgers said: “We are disappointed with the goal we conceded right on half time, but I think we continued right on from our game with West Ham. That’s our mantra, in terms of being positive with the ball and progressive.
“I thought we started well in the first half and created numbers of opportunities in the first and second half. Their keeper has made some fantastic saves. But I am delighted. It is obviously only the first game, but to get the four goals and create so much was very encouraging.
“Their goal was a reminder that, if you make any mistakes, no matter how dominant you are, you can be punished. Teams at this level can hurt you. It was about keeping calm and keeping our football flowing, creating and taking chances.
“We should have won against West Ham, I felt, and in some other games we have had draws when we should have won. This group will get back to its level, it is just time and players coming back. The fluency was good, we looked dynamic.
“Our goal for the remainder of the season is to finish as high as we can in the league, to keep developing, improving and to get players back. We want to finish as strong as we can and bring that into the following season. In this competition, everyone is in it to win it and we are no different.”
Rodgers also confirmed that James Maddison was “fine” after going down off the ball late in the second half before being substituted, having only come off the bench 20 minutes earlier. “He wasn’t feeling well so we took him off,” Rodgers said. “He is in with the medics and he feels fine.”
Meanwhile, Dewsbury-Hall was similarly satisfied with the team’s performance. “I thought we were dominant throughout the game,” he told BT Sport. “We showed a professional performance tonight.
“We conceded late at the weekend and we wanted to show more professionalism in this game and I thought we controlled the game and should have scored more goals. I had a couple of chances in the first half and, to be fair to the keeper, he has made a couple of good saves. I thought it would be one of those nights. But I stuck at it and I’m thankful I got one in the end.
“I am loving it. I am a kid playing for his boyhood club. It is a dream come true. Every minute I spend on the pitch I will give the best I can because I am proud to play for this club. I know the results will come and it is exciting times ahead.
“We wanted to give the crowd something to be happy about. We got the win and they can go home happy. We know this is a great opportunity to secure European football again. We go into this tournament pushing ourselves as hard as we can to win it.”
- - -
Watch every moment of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+.
Scan me
Share this article