Brendan Rodgers leaves Leicester with club in relegation fight

Leicester City have parted ways with manager Brendan Rodgers by mutual agreement.

Following a four-year spell in charge, Rodgers departs the King Power stadium as one of the most successful managers in Leicester’s history after leading the club to their first-ever FA Cup triumph in 2021, as well as the verge of Champions League qualification – in successive seasons.

But the Foxes have acted after a six-game winless run in the Premier League saw the club dragged into a relegation battle. Leicester were defeated by fellow strugglers Crystal Palace on Saturday, a result that left the team in the bottom three with 10 games remaining this season.

Leicester chair Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said the club’s performances and results this season have been “below our expectations” with the board “compelled to take alternative action to protect our Premier League status”. Leicester have won just twice in 13 Premier League games since the World Cup and have the third-worst defensive record in the division.

Leicester host Aston Villa on Tuesday before facing Bournemouth in a relegation six-pointer on Saturday, and the Foxes must now find a replacement until the end of the season. Leicester’s long-serving first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell will lead preparations for the Aston Villa match.

In a statement on Sunday. Srivaddhanaprabha said: “The achievements of the team under Brendan’s management speak for themselves – we’ve experienced some of our finest footballing moments under his guidance and will always be grateful to him and his staff for the heights they helped us to reach on the pitch.

“Off the pitch, Brendan embraced the culture of the club and helped cultivate an outstanding developmental environment, particularly during the transition to Seagrave, and provided strong leadership during the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. His place in Leicester City history is assured.

“However, performances and results during the current season have been below our shared expectations. It had been our belief that continuity and stability would be key to correcting our course, particularly given our previous achievements under Brendan’s management. Regrettably, the desired improvement has not been forthcoming and, with 10 games of the season remaining, the board is compelled to take alternative action to protect our Premier League status.

“The task ahead of us in our final 10 games is clear. We now need to come together – fans, players and staff – and show the poise, quality and fight to secure our position as a Premier League club.”

Rodgers joined Leicester from Celtic in February 2019, replacing Claude Puel, in what was his first job back in the Premier League since leaving Liverpool in 2015. Leicester narrowly fell short of Champions League qualification in his first full season in charge, and while they suffered the same fate in 2021 the blow was softened by the club’s historic FA Cup win.

Their position in the league led to Leicester reaching their first European semi-final as they fell to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, with results taking a significant downturn this season following a summer in which Leicester failed to sign a senior player.