Brendan Rodgers believes that Leicester’s clash with Liverpool provides a “great opportunity” for his team to recover from the defeat by Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Before the winter break, Leicester were in good shape, having won four in five games, but lost 3-0 to the Magpies, with all three goals scored in the first 32 minutes of the match.
As a result, the Foxes occupy slightly less than the middle of the Premier League table, and Rodgers hopes that his team will be able to demonstrate their confidence before the trip to Anfield.
“I think the first 20 minutes of a game at Anfield is always very important,” he said at a pre—match press conference.
“With such a crowd and the intensity with which the Liverpool team will want to play, it is important, this resilience and mentality.
“You need this ability if you fall behind this belief. I think there are two games in any football game – the game itself and the game of faith before it.
“You always believe when you go on the pitch, especially against some big teams away from home, you have to have that belief and mentality that you can get results.
“For us, we have a great opportunity to go to a great stadium to play football and see if we can reproduce that faith and spirit when we played last time.
“It’s always a difficult game and no one knows it better than me at Anfield, but it’s a big challenge for us.
“[Newcastle] was disappointing, as I said, but the difficulties have to be overcome and we have a great opportunity to take the field in a fantastic game.”
Rodgers confirmed at his press conference that James Maddison and Dennis Praet will not participate in the game with Liverpool.
Maddison had to see a specialist in London about his knee, while Prat was still struggling with a side injury that caused him to be substituted in the match against Newcastle.
