AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth will be looking to claim a first win at King Power Stadium when they lock horns with Premier League rivals Leicester City tomorrow.
Leicester City v AFC Bournemouth
Saturday 30 March
Premier League, 3pm
King Power Stadium
Brendan Rodgers has presided over three wins and a defeat in the Premier League since taking the reins at King Power Stadium last month.
The Northern Irishman left Celtic and replaced Claude Puel after the Foxes had taken a solitary point from six games.
Puel left following a 4-1 defeat by Crystal Palace as the Foxes lost four consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since January 2000.
A fantastic festive period counted for nothing for the Frenchman who ultimately paid the price for Leicester’s inconsistencies.
The Foxes reached the halfway point of the season sitting pretty in seventh, just four points behind sixth-placed Manchester United.
Back-to-back wins against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City at King Power Stadium on Boxing Day had put Leicester in position to threaten the top six’s monopoly.
And although they closed 2018 on the receiving end of a shock home defeat by struggling Cardiff, the Foxes hit back immediately by triumphing 1-0 at Everton on New Year’s Day.
It was then, however, that the rot set in with one point from six games – a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield – seeing them lose momentum.
The run included losses against Southampton, Wolves, Manchester United, Tottenham and Palace, with Puel paying the price after 16 months at the helm.
Rodgers became Leicester’s fourth permanent manager in 23 months after Puel, Craig Shakespeare and Claudio Ranieri, the man who brought the title to King Power Stadium in 2016.
Since being crowned champions, the Foxes have placed 12th and ninth – and are again on course for another creditable mid-table finishing position.
Rodgers’s reign started with home wins over Brighton and Fulham sandwiching a narrow defeat at Watford.
Their chances of securing a third victory seemed remote after England defender Harry Maguire had been sent off in the fourth minute of their clash against Burnley at Turf Moor.
But a stunning free-kick from James Maddison and a last-minute winner from Wes Morgan earned Rodgers victory over the Clarets with a fourth different club, having also achieved the feat with Watford, Swansea and Liverpool.
Maguire, who starred for England alongside Leicester teammate Ben Chilwell during the international break, will be suspended for the visit of the Cherries.
LAST TIME OUT
Burnley 1-2 Leicester
Wes Morgan’s last-minute header earned Leicester a third win in four Premier League games under new boss Brendan Rodgers at Turf Moor.
The Foxes had been reduced to ten men after just four minutes when Harry Maguire saw red for bringing down Johann Berg Gudmundsson who was clean through on goal.
James Maddison fired the visitors ahead from a stunning 33rd-minute free-kick but their lead was short-lived as Dwight McNeil swept home an equaliser five minutes later.
Burnley, who had a couple of solid penalty shouts turned down, paid for their second-half profligacy when Morgan guided Youri Tielemans’s cross past Tom Heaton in the closing stages.
Rodgers said: “It was an outstanding mental game, especially when you lose a player early. Jonny Evans and Wes were incredible and the guys worked together as a team. We took our chances well.
“We stayed calm. When we were down to 10 men, it was about having that energy and positive attitude. I was pleased with them at half-time, they carried it out tactically very well with 10 men. We have resilience and spirit in this squad.
“Wes epitomises the humble attitude of the group. He was a player I wanted to keep, he is a wonderful symbol of the changing room. He’s a really good guy.
"I am so happy for him and he got a round of applause in the changing room after, which he deserved as it was a fantastic header.”
2018-19 TOP SCORER
Jamie Vardy – 12 goals in all competitions
THE MANAGER
Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers replaced Claude Puel as Leicester City manager at the end of last month after leaving his job at Celtic.
The 46-year-old Northern Irishman, who managed Liverpool and Swansea in the Premier League, signed a contract at King Power Stadium until June 2022.
During his time at Anfield, Rodgers almost led the Reds to the top-flight title, only for their challenge to falter over the final three games of the season.
After eventually guiding Liverpool to the runners-up spot behind Manchester City, Rodgers was named LMA manager of the year.
Rodgers was sacked by Liverpool in October 2015 before taking over at Celtic the following May, leading them to an undefeated domestic season in his first year.
During his two-and-a-half years in Scotland, Rodgers won all seven domestic trophies and twice qualified for the Champions’ League group stage.
Rodgers, who also managed Watford and Reading, presided over a 69-game unbeaten run, breaking a 100-year-old British domestic record.
Invited by Jose Mourinho to join Chelsea as youth team manager in 2004, Rodgers was later promoted to reserve team manager at Stamford Bridge.
Following spells at Watford and Reading, he returned to management with Swansea in 2010, leading them to promotion to the Premier League, the first Welsh club to do so, and guided them to an 11th-placed finish in 2011/12.
KEY STATS
- Leicester (8) and AFC Bournemouth (6) are the top two teams for scoring on the counter-attack in the Premier League this season.
- James Maddison is the first Leicester player to score two free-kicks in a single Premier League season.
- Leicester have been shown more red cards than any other Premier League team this season (five).
- Harry Maguire’s red card after three minutes and 11 seconds against Burnley was the fastest in the Premier League since Gareth McAuley for West Brom against Manchester City in March 2015 (one minute, 29 seconds).
- The Cherries registered back-to-back 1-0 wins at Filbert Street in 1987/88 and 1988/89. Richard Cooke (1987) and Colin Clarke (1988) were the goalscorers and both games were played on Boxing Day.
- The Foxes and the Cherries have both conceded four penalties in the Premier League this season, all of which have been converted.
- Leicester have had 144 shots on target this season compared with the Cherries’ total of 128.
- Brendan Rodgers is Leicester's fourth permanent manager in 23 months after Claude Puel, Craig Shakespeare and Claudio Ranieri.
- Leicester’s 4-1 defeat by Crystal Palace last month saw them lose four consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since January 2000.
- Leicester have conceded the first goal in 20 Premier League matches this season – more than any other team.
- The Foxes won three divisions in eight years – Premier League (2016), Championship (2014), League One (2009).
- Leicester have spent only one season outside of the top two divisions – winning League One in 2008/09.
- In 2014/15, Leicester finished 14th in the Premier League after winning seven of their final nine games, having been marooned at the foot of the table for four-and-a-half months between late November and mid-April.
