Leicester City boss Rodgers expects wounded Liverpool to be ‘formidable’

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers downplayed the effect an injury and health crisis has had on the strength of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

The Foxes visit the Champions at fortress Anfield on Sunday, heading into the match on top of the Premier League but Rodgers doesn’t make his team favourites.

Rodgers expects formidable Liverpool

“They’ve got top-class players that have been playing and players that will come off the bench who will be really strong,” Rodgers said in a pre-match press conference on Friday. “We’ve seen it from our perspective. 

“We’ve had a host of players out and the players who have come in who have been outstanding for us and that’s what you want from a squad.

“They will still be a formidable team and we have to be ready for a tough game. It’s still a squad with world-class players who can really hurt you.”

Leicester City given fitness boosts

Rodgers revealed on Friday that a number of Leicester City first-team regulars were back in training. The boss wasn’t giving away his starting XI though but suggested he would have to use his squad.

“We’ll use the squad. We’ve got a real trust in them. We spoke about it at the start of the season, the challenges we’d face.

“We’ve got players coming back, which will be great, and we’ll look forward to the next run of games.

“Ricardo’s in training with the group, which is great news, and he’ll most probably play in a reserve game next week. 

“He’s progressing really well.

“Wilf is out on the field. He still has a number of weeks to go, but he’s progressing well. Söyüncü, likewise, is maybe a few weeks away, but training with the squad.

“Timothy Castagne’s back in again, which is great news, and Wesley Fofana will be fine, so we’re slowly starting to get our players back.”

Rodgers said that star striker Jamie Vardy would be available for the visit of Liverpool having spent the international break resting after a hectic start to the 2020/21 season.

“He [Vardy] has not been travelling, he’s still been training and working,” Rodgers continued. “For all the players, they get a bit of recovery time, which was needed after the hectic start we’ve had. But we’re now looking forward to a busy schedule over the coming months.”

Liverpool and Leicester City will meet in a Premier League crunch match on Sunday 22 November 2020.