Making History, Lifting Silverware & Beating The Elite – Five Rodgers Highlights

The Northern Irishman, who has also managed Watford, Reading, Swansea City, Liverpool and Celtic, joined the Foxes on 26 February, 2019. Since then, the Carnlough-born manager has secured victory over 35 different teams across the various competitions which City have competed in. 

Leicester have secured European football for consecutive seasons over the previous two campaigns and ended 2020/21 with the Club's first-ever FA Cup crown - putting an end to over a century of hurt in the historic competition - by defeating Chelsea, who would later go on to lift the UEFA Champions League.

Rodgers is one of just four managers to win major silverware at the Club, following in the footsteps of Matt Gillies, Martin O'Neill and Claudio Ranieri. He also was successful in the 2021 FA Community Shield with a 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the national stadium last August.

It's an almost-three-year spell which includes a Club record-breaking top-flight winning run, the end of long waits for victories at Arsenal and Manchester United, among others, and wins over every 'big six' club in England, while regularly challenging them for places in the table and for honours. 

To celebrate the Foxes manager's 49th birthday, LCFC.com has picked out five landmark results from his time so far at King Power Stadium...

Brushing Arsenal side – Early progress

In a clash which would go on to become one of three wins over Arsenal across Brendan Rodgers' spell in charge, the Foxes delivered almost a complete performance against the Gunners in April 2019 - just under two months since his appointment on Filbert Way. 

An unmarked Youri Tielemans, then on loan at the Club, nodded James Maddison's cross beyond Bernd Leno just before the hour-mark, after Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent off for the visitors from north London. Jamie Vardy made it two, heading into an empty net after his initial effort came off the bar.

A second for City's No.9 and a third for Leicester, tucking Ricardo Pereira's low cross into the net, completed a resounding victory for the Foxes.

History on the south coast – Hitting Saints for nine

A scarcely believable scoreline in Southampton made Leicester City the talk of the football world in October 2019.

Ben Chilwell got City up and running at St. Mary's Stadium, before the Saints were then reduced to 10 men. Youri Tielemans rifled in a second for the Foxes, who were 5-0 up at the break, courtesy of two more from Ayoze Pérez and Jamie Vardy.

Pérez would complete his hat-trick before the hour, while a sublime free-kick from James Maddison made it eight. A ninth came from Vardy, as the Club's all-time top Premier League goalscorer completed his trio too. It was a result which equalled a 24-year-old record for the biggest ever Premier League victory.

A flying start – Scoring five in Manchester

Leicester's away record for much of Brendan Rodgers' tenure has been hugely impressive. That trend continued in September 2020 as Premier League football returned in front of empty stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Former Fox Riyad Mahrez, though, fired Manchester City in front with a stunning opener.

It was level at the interval thanks to Jamie Vardy's penalty, before the former Fleetwood Town striker applied a deft flick onto Timothy Castagne's cross to put Leicester ahead at Etihad Stadium. Another spot-kick made it even better for the Foxes, before James Maddison curled a beauty into the top corner.

Nathan Aké's 84th-minute effort gave Pep Guardiola's men hope, until Youri Tielemans stepped up from 12 yards to make it 5-2 to Leicester. No team since that day has scored five goals against Man City at their home venue – in fact, the three netted by the Foxes in December is the closest any team has got.

Glory beneath the arch – FA Cup success at last

After overcoming Stoke City, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester United and Southampton, Leicester City headed to Wembley in May 2021 for the Club's fifth final appearance in the FA Cup. No team had ever reached four showpieces and not lifted the iconic trophy, which is now 150 years old.

With a modest but audible contingent of the Blue Army in attendance, as the country emerged from a COVID-19-enforced lockdown, City suffered an early blow as Jonny Evans was forced to depart midway into the opening 45 minutes through injury. A tight, tense encounter then unfolded. 

In the 63rd minute, Luke Thomas fed the ball to Youri Tielemans, who strode forward and glided a long-range drive beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga into the top corner. Two sensational Kasper Schmeichel saves were still needed, plus a VAR intervention to deny Chelsea a late equaliser. Delirium for the Foxes faithful.  

A belated Christmas present – Beating the Reds in Leicester

It was frosty December evening, three days after Christmas in 2021, and Liverpool were in town. Kasper Schmeichel was once again a hero for the Foxes in the first half, saving Mohamed Salah's penalty as the 2019/20 Premier League champions looked to capitalise on Leicester's deepening injury crisis. 

A squad with several changes and without key figures fought on. In the 59th minute, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, one of several Academy graduates to break through during Brendan Rodgers' tenure, slid the ball through to on-loan forward Ademola Lookman, who slotted it past Alisson in the Reds' goal. 

Ecstatic celebrations were soon to follow, but there was work to do. A frankly heroic defensive performance from players being pushed to their physical limits by a gruelling festive fixture schedule was to follow. Roared on by a cacophonous home crowd, City got the job done to secure a huge victory.