LONDON • No matter what happens tomorrow on the final day of the Premier League campaign, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has a message for his players - that they have done well and it has been a "really good season".
The Foxes entered the near three-month shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic looking odds-on for a top-four finish, but have faltered in the frenetic weeks since last month's restart, with only two wins in their eight games.
But Rodgers' fifth-placed side have been offered one last chance to seal a Champions League qualification berth as they finish at home to third-placed Manchester United, who are a point ahead on 63 points.
The Red Devils need only a point from this match to qualify for Europe's elite club competition, while Leicester need to win.
"We want to be in it (the Champions League), but if we fall short, it's still been a really good season," Rodgers insisted.
"The reality and the expectancy (of our players) was not too far away from each other. The expectancy has grown and that was because of the performance of the team.
"We are playing one of the superpowers of world football with a chance to go above them and get into the Champions League. We have one last shot, and that tells you how well the players have done."
The 47-year-old added that injuries had taken a toll on his players, who are not used to competing at the highest level.
He is without the suspended Caglar Soyuncu and the team are missing a number of injured players in Ben Chilwell, Ricardo Pereira, Christian Fuchs, Daniel Amartey and James Maddison.
"From January to February, the consistency hasn't been there. It's the inexperience of the players of being at that level," Rodgers said.
"But they couldn't have given any more. We've been really unfortunate at this crucial time that we've lost some of the best players in the league.
"And it shows how good the players have been that we're still fighting for the ultimate prize."
Incredibly, after 25 games of the season, Leicester were 14 points clear of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side and eight clear of Chelsea, who are currently in fourth position.
After a 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend, Rodgers promised the United showdown, which has effectively become a Champions League play-off, would be an "all-in" encounter.
United have more wriggle room but Solskjaer has also promised they will go for victory.
"It's like a final," he said. "If we had the chance to go and win there (to get into the top four) we'd be delighted.
"We've caught up and given ourselves a fantastic opportunity. But they are very dangerous."
Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly have joined fellow defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones on the sidelines and are doubtful for tomorrow.
REUTERS
