Leicester lacked intensity due to relentless schedule in draw with Southampton, says Brendan Rodgers

The Foxes stay in third after their draw but played 80 minutes against ten minutes

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers said fatigue amid a tight fixture schedule could have played a part in their inability to push for victory over 10-man Southampton in Friday’s Premier League meeting which ended 1-1.

Leicester needed a 68th-minute Jonny Evans header to cancel out James Ward-Prowse’s penalty and secure a point after defender Jannik Vestergaard was shown a red card early on.

The result left third-placed Leicester with 63 points from 34 matches, eight points above fifth-placed West Ham United who play on Monday.

“We’re obviously disappointed with the result considering the circumstances of the game,” Rodgers, whose side had thrashed 10-man Southampton 9-0 in the corresponding fixture last season, told reporters.

“We’re normally very good in those situations (against 10 men) but I didn’t think we were fast enough in the game and we didn’t play with the intensity we wanted to.

“The guys have given everything. It was the fourth game in 13 days so maybe that had something to do with it but no excuse, we have to give credit to Southampton, they made it incredibly difficult. We hope the point proves important for us.”

Midfielder James Maddison rued the dropped points and said anything could happen in the race to secure a top-four spot.

“There’s so much football to be played and so much to happen,” Maddison told Sky Sports. “We just have to win and see where we are after 38 matches.”

Reuters