Premier League English

Brendan Rodgers believes injury-hit Leicester are exceeding expectations

The Foxes are currently third in the League and Brendan Rodgers believes Leicester are enjoying a better season than last year as he continues to cope with an ever-growing injury list.

The Foxes were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal on Sunday in a game which also saw Harvey Barnes leaving the pitch on a stretcher with a knee injury and Rodgers said after the game the England international is likely to be out for six weeks.

Barnes’ injury is the latest in a long line of first-team players out of action for Rodgers, with Ayoze Perez, Dennis Praet, James Maddison, Wesley Fofana, James Justin and Wes Morgan all sidelined with injuries.

Despite being saddled with so many absentees, Rodgers feels Leicester have so far surpassed their achievements at this stage last year.

The Foxes currently sit third after 26 games – just as they did last term – but have amassed one point fewer, with Rodgers now keen to kick on after Leicester dropped out of the top four on the final day of the Premier League campaign.

“I believe so, in terms of until this point yes,” he replied when asked if the current injury situation meant his side were having a better season to date.

We haven’t done anything yet, people talk about the top four but for me, my attitude is that we are not in the top four until we see where we are at after the last game of the season   Brendan Rodgers

“We have had injuries of course but we have also had European football to contend with and I think we see it with some teams that it can prove difficult but the players have been absolutely brilliant up until this point.

“But we haven’t done anything yet, people talk about the top four but for me, my attitude is that we are not in the top four until we see where we are at after the last game of the season.

“There is nothing to lose then because we haven’t got anything yet, you have to get to the end of the season and see where you finish in May and look at it from there.

“There are 12 games to go and it is a process now over these next three months and it is something we are going to relish and enjoy.”