Slumping Leicester to go 'all in' against United in finale
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Harry Kane scoring past Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to put Tottenham 2-0 up on Sunday. The Foxes are likely to have to beat Manchester United by more than a goal in their final game to make the Champions League.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON • Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers believes that their entire season boils down to their final Premier League match at home to Manchester United on Sunday - even if the Red Devils win their game in hand against West Ham.
When the Foxes won eight successive English top-flight games between October and December, they looked odds-on for a top-four finish for the first time since winning the league in 2016 and at one point, even looked capable of chasing Liverpool for the title.
But they have fallen away badly, winning just five times in the league this year and their poor form was again evident on Sunday in a 3-0 loss at Tottenham.
An early own goal by James Justin set the tone for a torrid afternoon before a double by Harry Kane gave Spurs renewed hope of qualifying for the Europa League.
While Jose Mourinho's side will stay in sixth place and among the qualification spots regardless of the midweek games, the same cannot be said about Leicester and their chances of Champions League football.
They remain fourth but are level on 62 points with fifth-placed United, who can open up a three-point lead if they beat West Ham tomorrow.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men could also establish a goal-difference advantage with a healthy win over the Hammers - both United and Leicester are on plus 28 - which would mean the hosts will not only need to come away with a victory on Sunday, but make up any goal difference as well.
That will be a tough ask, given that Leicester will be missing James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Christian Fuchs through injury, while Caglar Soyuncu is also banned.
But Rodgers is remaining optimistic ahead of the clash and feels no matter what happens, his players have overachieved this term as Champions League ambitions had not figured in their thoughts at the start of the campaign.
"It will be absolutely perfect. It will be all in," he said after the defeat by Spurs.
"The players have been fantastic. We've got one last opportunity. Whatever the result was today, we needed a (good) result next week.
"I always felt that no matter how well you do, there will always be disappointment. Others will be gratified with the work done over the past 17 months to be in this position. I know there will be both feelings."
While he admitted his men were "leggy" at Tottenham, they now have a full week to recover, unlike United.
"The players, what they've done in the past 17 months, to put themselves in this position, it's brilliant," the Northern Irishman added. "I don't want to be too negative.
"We go into a game with a fantastic chance to get into the Champions League. Top six was the aim, which you guys (the critics) would admit would be a fantastic achievement."
REUTERS