Brendan Rodgers says Leicester are 'calm' over top-six Premier League credentials
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Friday 27 September 2019 18:05, UK
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers says his squad are “pretty calm” with being tipped for a top-six Premier League finish this season.
The Foxes beat Champions League finalists Tottenham, who have finished in the top-four for the last four seasons, last Saturday to maintain their impressive start to the campaign.
Leicester sit third ahead of Sunday's meeting against Newcastle at the King Power Stadium, live on Sky Sports Premier League, and Rodgers says his squad's focus remains on producing consistent performances.
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"We are pretty calm with it all," Rodgers, whose side dismissed Luton 4-0 in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, said. "We have tried to maintain the level, you never get too carried away and too disappointed when we lose.
"We had a great reaction after the Manchester United game. We had a good week's training and took that into the Tottenham game which was a very good performance.
"At this stage it is more [about the] performance. We gradually want to make that better and better. That is what is happening.
"Tottenham was a very good game of football, our performance was at a really high level and we kept that focus and concentration into our cup game in the week. When you play well there will always be good things said about you and if you lose a game some negative things."
James Maddison, who scored the winner against Spurs, remains an injury concern for the league game against the Magpies after taking a knock to his ankle during the 2-1 win last weekend.
"We'll see over the next couple of days but obviously he's a doubt," said Rodgers
"He is back out and has put some weight on his ankle so we will see. It's the risk of whether he's going to last. It's questionable whether he will play or not and we'll see over the next couple of days.
"When you have a player of that importance it is always disappointing when he's not available, but for us it is always about the team. If he isn't fit then there's an opportunity for someone else."
Rodgers said he will give Maddison "every chance" of passing a fitness test as the Foxes aim for their second win against Newcastle this season, having beaten them in the Carabao Cup second round last month.
"He's a big talent and he's been great but what has pleased me this week has been the squad," said Rodgers.
"We did very well here last week against Tottenham and then we made some changes in the week (at Luton) and the rhythm, intensity and speed in the team was still the same.
"We've got a really strong squad and everyone else is fit and ready."
