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Brendan Rodgers speaks on ‘toxic’ atmosphere and chants from Leicester fans

Brendan Rodgers speaks on reports of a ‘toxic’ atmosphere and sack chants from Leicester fans as pressure remains intense for the manager.

In his press conference ahead of this weekend’s game against Crystal Palace and then Leeds next week, he brushed aside talk how negative the atmosphere is at the King Power Stadium as hopes to get his team rising up the Premier League table.

They currently sit bottom of the standings, with four points from nine games played and are three behind Southampton who sit just outside the relegation zone.

Rodgers knows his side should be able to pick up points against bottom-half sides, and considering they are home games, if they get the same type of atmosphere at the King Power Stadium for the win over Nottingham Forest that helped drive the players, they really might just get those much needed points.

The manager admits it will be tougher against a side that is not a local rival, Rodgers but wants that to be replicated this weekend.

He’s not considering the crowd could turn sour, but after calls for him to be sacked from Leicester supporters in the last few away games, the atmosphere could deteriorate if his side don’t perform, to the point maybe that so must unrest made lead to him being axed.

Rodgers said: “No matter where you are, [home matches] are always very important, but in particular, with the position we’re in, it will be vital. In our last game, everyone was talking about it being toxic, but I don’t think about that. I want to produce a team that will play a level of football that will excite the supporters and give them a good feeling.

“We go into the game with a real motivation and hopefully the supporters get right behind the team. That will make a huge difference for us.

“Wherever you are in the table, your home games are very important, and hopefully we can replicate the performance and atmosphere from the Forest game, which is tough I know because it was a derby game, but we still want to generate that level of performance that gives that hope to supporters.

“In our last game, we saw it, and that came from the players, their intensity and their quality. That connection between the supporters and players was there. It’s always up to us, 12.30 kick-offs can be difficult games, but we have to generate intensity in the game to bring them along with us.”

Supporters hoped that getting a win against Forest might just be the start of an improved form, facing Bournemouth after that but gave up a half time lead to lose 2-1, with a section of the travelling crowd chanting for Rodgers to be sacked come the full time whistle.

The manager says he’s aware of how fans are feeling: “The [supporters’] mood will have been better after the Forest game, and they were probably hoping that we could have got the victory at Bournemouth, but seeing the manner in which we lost in that last 25 minutes wouldn’t have been so good.

“Our job is to lift the mood again. There is lots of noise and speculation, but for me, on the inside, we’re very dedicated to moving away from where we are. That’s going to need patience and support.”

Meanwhile, Leicester’s owners knew this season would be a tough one for the club and accept Brendan Rodgers’ 40-point target.

Rodgers says the club’s hierarchy, including chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, has been well aware of the difficulties the side may face, this had lead to the boss believing he has had the backing of the club’s decision-makers.

I think they felt it would be a tough season, like we all did, on the back end of the summer, the challenges we faced and the difficulties we had, without the improvement in the squad,” Rodgers said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon.

“Their dedication to me and the players shows the trust they have that I can steer us through this period. Even though it has been a disappointment, they’ve been fully supportive of myself because they’ve seen the work we’ve been able to do in our time here.

“The expectation and ambition is always to be the best we can be but I’m sure even they recognised that this season was going to be a big challenge for us on the back end of the summer.”

He added: “My focus has always been about moving forward. I believe we can do that with the players we have. I do recognise where we are.

“Setting the 40-point tally at the start of the season, I was realistic in terms of where I thought we were at. What was going to be important was staying in the division.”

This is what social media users had to say as Brendan Rodgers speaks on a ‘toxic’ atmosphere and chants from Leicester fans…

@lcfckini: I do not trust him tho

@fennell962: That’s him sacked on Saturday night

@GaryWhi99094061: The boards defo backing me, hence why I’ve cleared my office of anything that’s mine. They won’t put up with him for much longer

@whatkatydid_nxt: He can look ahead to his p45 if he wants

@Ashleypp1986: Anyone else sick of Rodgers bullshit his interviews contradict themselves everytime and it’s getting abit fucking tedious now! #lcfc

@taylor_lcfc: He has officially fucking lost the plot.

@benadams79: Everytime I see the quotes from a Brendan Rodgers press conference I feel the urge to gauge my eyes out. The man is a deluded buffoon #lcfc

@OJSLCFC: How can he contradict himself, aiming for 40 points only is a relegation fight target. He’s not Ranieri and saying this will not improve the fans feelings towards him.

@hillbil1982: He needs to go. Like he has been talking years about breaking the top 6. And goes from that to saying he set a target of 40 points. Totally contradicting himself. I will say it again..he needs to go!! Its inevitable. He will be sacked, but top needs to sort immediately

@Joshemsley1996: Especially when it’s basically the same squad that finished 8th last season…

@richjames233: Set the bar psychologically low and the players are thinking that’s an easy target. The team is far from that. Has he had a whack to the head or what? Absolute tool

@markwatson_8: Surely we are better than setting a ‘40 point target’ at the start of the season? Such poor mentality from the ‘manager’

@JackHarcourt92: The team hasn’t changed much from when we were finishing 5th so is he saying we were over performing under him? If the same team is at the level of the 40 point mark

@WonderfulFoxes: I have not heard one positive thing to come out of Rogers mouth this season , imagine playing in a team where the manager expects you to lose every week and doesn’t take any responsibility- he’s got to go

@booko67: The manager of that squad of players should not be setting a 40 point target, there is the problem with the club at the moment. Feels like he’s doubling down on reasons to get sacked as everything he has tried so far has failed.

@Leo_Moore1975: I know everyones jumping on every word he says currently but he really doesn’t help himself does he. Does he know that 40 pts means relegation scrap? He really thinks Maddison, tielemans etc are at that level?! They will go in Jan whilst he drags us down to the championship

@mnorman1985: The same team that was good enough for two top 5 finishes & an 8th placed finish despite loads of injuries, all in the last 3 seasons? #lcfc #BrendanOut

@LestahGeorge: nah nah nah, this guy ain’t a serious manager…

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