LEICESTER, Aug 15 — Leicester City may not be able to compete financially with the Premier League’s elite but will look to continue progressing and maintain their successful run after winning the FA Cup last season, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Saturday.
The Foxes, who won the Premier League title in 2016 under Italian Claudio Ranieri, finished fifth in each of the last two seasons and Rodgers acknowledged it would be a tall order to keep matching wealthier rivals.
“We’re just out to do our very best,” Rodgers told the BBC after his side’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League season opener. “If you look at some other clubs and what they’re spending, we’re nowhere near that level.
“I just hope we can keep developing. If we can progress again this year I’ll be happy and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Leicester’s hard-fought win over Wolves came courtesy of a superb Jamie Vardy goal and Rodgers was happy with his team’s gritty performance.
“We had a really good pre-season and today we wanted to deliver. We played really well first half, some of the football we played was outstanding, and we didn’t have too many problems,” he said.
“Second half we defended more and we could have made the game more comfortable, but to keep a clean sheet and play to that level was really pleasing.”
Wolves manager Bruno Lage, who took over from Portuguese compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo during the close season, was unhappy with the outcome as Adama Traore spurned several chances including a first-half sitter before Vardy struck.
“We had a good moment and we started to control the game,” he said. “In the first half we had a good chance to score then two or three minutes later they scored.
“I’m not happy because we deserved more than we got but I have confidence in the way we are and what we are doing. Adama is a top player, a top man. He wants to improve and we’ll work together to do that.” — Reuters
