Manager Brendan Rodgers felt a lack of experience and the absence of Jonny Evans were huge factors in Leicester’s 4-2 defeat to Newcastle United.
The Foxes were well beaten by Steve Bruce’s side at the King Power Stadium. First-half goals by Joe Willock and Paul Dummett gave the Magpies a 2-0 half-time lead. And Leicester fell 4-0 behind as Callum Wilson netted a second-half brace. Marc Albrighton and Kelechi Iheanacho scored late on and they could have had a third.
But the visitors were worthy winners and have virtually secured their sport in the Premier League for next season. Leicester remain in third spot in the table but are now sweating on finishing in the top four.
And Rodgers did not have to get too technical when giving his appraisal of what happened on Friday night.
“It’s very easy to analyse. It was a game in which we made so many mistakes and you can’t afford to do that,” he told Sky Sports. “It was uncharacteristic. It’s a period of the season where we need to be super concentrated, you are very close to achieving what you want to achieve.
“We lacked concentration and if you do that against good teams and good players they punish you.
“They kept going and over the course of 90 minutes we could have had four or five goals ourselves but there were too many mistakes.”
Evans a huge miss for Rodgers
Jonny Evans was injured warming up and replaced by Albrighton. But the Northern Irishman put his finger on exactly what held his side back.
“It’s young players,” he added. “You can see the first goal is a poor mistake. You don’t have that time to relax and Cruyff out of the situation and there were other mistakes as well. It happens.”
And on Evans’ injury being a hindrance, he added: “Very. He is the brain in our defensive line. He is a great talker. Caglar [Soyuncu] and Wesley [Fofana] are both individuals. they are fantastic talents but he is the brain who organises. It was big blow for us.”
Fourth-placed Chelsea can now overtake Leicester if they beat Manchester City on Saturday. And West Ham can close to within two points if they win their game in hand. But the former Liverpool chief is not panicking just yet.
“We are still in a really good position and everything is still in our hands,” he added.
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