Rodgers: Very, Very Pleasing

Digital Members Exclusive
10 Apr 2022
2 Minutes
Several aspects of Leicester City's performance pleased manager Brendan Rodgers during Sunday's 2-1 home win over Crystal Palace.

- Manager Brendan Rodgers reacts to Leicester City's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace
- Ademola Lookman and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were on the scoresheet for the Foxes
- Rodgers was thrilled with City's pressing and their overall performance on Filbert Way
- The Northern Irishman also credited the performance of Academy graduate Dewsbury-Hall

First-half goals from Ademola Lookman and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – the latter's first in the Premier League – was enough for the Foxes, despite Wilfried Zaha halving the deficit in the second period. It now means City are unbeaten in their last seven matches on Filbert Way in all competitions.

"I thought we were excellent in the game," Rodgers told LCFC TV at full-time. "Crystal Palace are a really good side, but I thought we stopped them playing. The pressure was good, the intensity was good and then we showed some really good moments of quality. It was very, very pleasing.

"The Premier League is tight and it’s very competitive. I thought we pressed the game well like I said. I thought we worked the ball into a really good areas, but once we crossed the half-way line, we were loose with our passing sometimes and then we gave it away.

"We then started to build our rhythm, make better decisions on the ball, and then obviously the first goal comes from really good pressure after winning it back. The second goal was a fantastic goal as well. I thought we had really good control of the game.

"They got the penalty and then, of course, the momentum can change for a little bit because they have a bit of energy. We handled that side of it really well. You’re not going to have it all your own way in the Premier League over the course of the 90 minutes.

"In the moments we had to defend, we defended really well and I was really pleased."

I’m delighted for [Dewsbury-Hall] to score his first goal in the Premier League at King Power Stadium.

Brendan Rodgers LCFC TV

Academy graduate Dewsbury-Hall won the fans' Man of the Match award at full-time after another laudable performance in blue. The 23-year-old, who was a ball-boy at King Power Stadium as a child, laid on the assist for Lookman's opener, before netting a stunning maiden Premier League goal.

"He's been waiting for that," the manager continued. "That’s his job – to create goals and score goals. He also gives us real industry in the team as well with his pressing. I’m delighted for him to score his first goal in the Premier League at King Power Stadium, you heard the supporters.

"He’s a very, very popular player in the squad. He’s showed his hunger in the games and he was absolutely outstanding today. He’ll get that feeling of scoring and he’ll want to score more. He’s just finding the level and the Premier League is a high level, but he’s come in and been excellent.

"He’s only going to get better."