Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers admits former club Liverpool have been hugely unlucky this season with Virgil van Dijk’s ongoing absence proving a major blow, speaking to The Mercury.
While the current Foxes squad is arguably superior to the one that performed a sporting miracle under Claudio Ranieri in 2016, few predicted Leicester would still be ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League table in mid-February.
The Foxes can move six points clear of the reigning champions with victory at the King Power Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
And while Liverpool’s drop-off has been stark – Jurgen Klopp’s side are 27 points worse off than at this stage last season – lady luck has certainly deserted them.
Fabinho has joined Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Naby Keita and Diogo Jota on the treatment table, while the totemic Van Dijk is still recovering from that Jordan Pickford lunge in October.
So while Roy Keane may be sick of what he views as a culture of excuses at Anfield, Liverpool definitely have reason to feel the universe is against them.
“If you lose someone of Van Dijk’s quality, it will always be a blow,” says Rodgers, who almost guided Liverpool to Premier League glory before Klopp went one step further.
“(Liverpool’s drop off is down to) a mixture of that, the unique season. They’ve been unlucky with injuries as well.
“Virgil was a huge reference for the team. The front line is still there and they still have a very good team. They’ve set such a level that any drop off, there will be a focus on that.
“They are up there challenging and will continue to do so.”
Leicester will be without a talismanic centre-back of their own tomorrow, with Wesley Fofana still weeks away from returning. But at least the Foxes still have Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu to call on.
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