- Manager Brendan Rodgers reacts to Leicester City's 0-0 home draw with PSV Eindhoven
- That clash on Filbert Way was the first leg of the quarter-finals in the UEFA Europa Conference League
- Rodgers felt City could have emerged from the tie with an advantage to take to the Netherlands
- He also praised Leicester's defenders, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, for their performances
The two-legged UEFA Europa Conference League Quarter-Finals tie is finely poised at the half-way point with the Foxes scheduled to tackle PSV again in Eindhoven next Thursday. Harvey Barnes hit the bar for City, who dominated for spells, but the Dutch visitors held on in the East Midlands.
"It was a tight game," Rodgers told LCFC TV. "They are a good side. They were more compact and tight than what they have been, but I thought it was a really good game. There was not too many chances for either side. We had the two really big opportunities of the game and unfortunately we didn’t score.
"Defensively, we were strong, we kept a clean sheet, and we’re still very much in the game for midweek. We weren’t so good in transition I didn’t feel in the first half. I thought James Maddison was very good.
"When the ball broke down, he was there to press, but he was on his own too much, so they played through the pressure. Without having a natural defensive midfield player, we didn’t press the game in the counter press so well. It went how I expected really.
"They were a little bit more closed than I thought they were maybe going to be but we still worked the ball really well at times. We got some good moves.
"If I’m being critical, maybe in the final third of the pitch, we maybe didn’t have that little bit of quality to beat the last man, either with the pass or a combination. The one time we did, Barnesy hits the bar.
"We got into some really good areas and if we play with that tempo and intensity and some improvements, we’ll be in a good place next week."
In his 32nd outing of the campaign in all competitions, Academy graduate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was once again impressive, fusing dangerous attacking play with a determined defensive solidity. There are areas which Rodgers thinks Leicester's No.22 can improve, but he was delighted with his display.
"He was excellent, very industrious," he added. "He’s just improving his final pass, which is important, getting into the final third of the pitch because he needs to be up there scoring goals and creating. He gives us great balance and he’s got great industry in the game.
"He works really hard, does a lot of the dirty work, and he played very well."
Leicester's defence earned a clean sheet on Filbert Way, with the Foxes continuing to benefit from the returns of key players in that position.
"I thought they did great," Rodgers continued. "Wesley [Fofana] and Jonny [Evans], you can see the stability they give the team. You’ve got one really experienced top player and a potentially world-class centre-half next to him.
"Those two, with Timothy [Castagne] as well, they’re coming back really strong and obviously Ricky (Ricardo Pereira) and JJ (James Justin), we’re feeling them back into it as well, without overloading them. Overall, it was a good team performance."
Explaining some of the absences from City's matchday squad, Rodgers said: "Çağs (Çağlar Söyüncü) was ill and he’s just trained today for the first time, so should be okay for the weekend. Boubakary Soumaré has been out for a week or so, but hopefully should train with the team tomorrow.
"I’ve just got to see how Ayoze Pérez is. He’s been ill the last couple of days."
With nothing between the sides after the first leg, Rodgers is excited by the prospect of taking on PSV in their homeland for a place in the semi-finals.
"Going into next week was always going to be tight," the Northern Irishman commented. "At this stage of the tournament, it’s the business end. There’s not too much [between the sides], it will be like a final next week.
"We’ve gone away from home in this competition last time and done the job so it’s all to play for. We know we can go away and score goals. That will be the plan."