Brendan Rodgers has been sacked by Leicester after four years in charge

The former Liverpool manager leaves the club after four years in charge, with the Foxes 19th in the Premier League.

Brendan Rodgers has been sacked by Leicester City following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace – their fifth defeat in six Premier League games.

The Foxes seemed to come under increasing pressure as the 2015/16 champions slipped to a four-game losing run over the Christmas and New Year period.

A 2-2 draw with Brighton and impressive victories over Aston Villa and Tottenham looked to have turned the tide, but four more defeats led to renewed murmurings about the Northern Irishman’s future, before the Eagles’ comeback win at the weekend sealed his fate, with first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell placed in temporary charge while Rodgers’ replacement is sought.

Speaking about the decision, Leicester chairman Aiyawatt 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 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.

Leicester City Football Club has reached a mutual agreement with Brendan Rodgers that will see him leave the Club after four years as our Men’s First Team Manager.

— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 2, 2023

 “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.”

Somewhat ironically, Rodgers succeeded Claude Puel in February 2019 with the aim of preserving the team’s top-flight status, something he achieved with flying colours as Leicester finished ninth.

The following two seasons then saw continued progress, with successive top-five finishes and an FA Cup final win over Chelsea underlining Rodgers’ status as one of the best young managers in the game.

The league form dipped slightly last term as they came eighth, but that drop-off was offset by a thrilling run to the Europa Conference League semi-finals after an unexpected exit at the group stage of the Europa League.

However, the domestic situation has considerably worsened this campaign, with the Foxes now sitting 19th following West Ham’s 1-0 win over bottom club Southampton.