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Brendan Rodgers says pressure all on Manchester United and missing out on Champions League will not be failure for Leicester City

talksport.com, 26 July 2020, 07:38
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers insists missing out on the Champions League this season would not represent a failure for his side.

The Foxes host Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League season - live on talkSPORT - knowing a win would book a top four spot.

They are fifth, a point behind United and Chelsea, in the race to qualify for Europe's elite competition next season.

Leicester, shock champions four years ago, held a 14-point lead over United in January but Rodgers maintains wherever they finish, the Foxes have achieved most of their targets this term.

He said: "The six targets we had - two of those was to get to domestic finals, one was semi-final, one was quarter-final, so we just fell short in those but met all of the other performance goals, in terms of reaching European football and improving our goalscoring.

"Apart from those two (failure to get to finals), the other goals we have achieved, and now we've a chance to…this is virtually like a barrier-breaking goal, a goal that will get us into the Champions League.

"It wasn't really something we spoke about at the beginning of the season because naturally, where the club had been these last few seasons, we wanted to try step-by-step to arrive there.

"The league is over 38 games and people were having us in the Champions League after 20 games. You have to go right the way to the end.

James Maddison signs new long-term Leicester City contract to rule out Manchester United transfer

"There'll be disappointment if we don't make it but that would whet the appetite for next season. We were in a good position but you've got to sustain it. It also shows you the big improvements this team still has to make.

"I could go over the whole season and look at points we should have won and could have won, but every team can do that.

"We dropped points and we need to be better in that and next year our mentality is one of the areas that needs to improve to sustain the run."

Rodgers maintains the pressure is all on United going into the final day showdown at the King Power Stadium.

He said: "I think there is a difference where we want to be in the Champions League. We would love to be able to do that but when you are a club like Manchester United or one of those super clubs, there is a need to be in the Champions League for many reasons. That is pretty clear.

"For us we would want to be in it. We will give everything we can. If we fall short then we have still had a really good season in the first season we have been together.

"When you (United) are at that level of spending and everything else there is a need to be in there and that brings a different level of expectation."

Premier League final day LIVE on talkSPORT: Leicester vs Man United and Chelsea vs Wolves among action as fight for Champions League goes to wire

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers insists missing out on the Champions League this season would not represent a failure for his side.

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