Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has said that title challengers Manchester City and Liverpool are not the best teams the Foxes have faced this season.
Leicester take on the Blues, a side Rodgers previously worked at in multiple roles between 2004 and 2008, on Thursday night in what is the penultimate game of the Premier League season.
When the two sides met earlier this season at the King Power Stadium in November, Antonio Rudiger, N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic all got on the scoresheet. The 3-0 win for Tuchel’s side moved them four points clear at the top of the Premier League table after Chelsea ’s first 12 games of the league campaign.
However, just three days later, ex-Leicester wing-back Ben Chilwell ruptured his cruciate ligament during a Champions League win over Juventus, with fellow wing-back Reece James also suffering a serious hamstring injury weeks later against Brighton.
With Chilwell not playing since and James missing much of the last six months, Chelsea’s form dramatically dropped off in their absence and has been a contributing factor as to why they now sit 20 points off leaders Manchester City heading into their last two games of the season.
Chelsea have also been impacted following the sanctions handed to owner Roman Abramovich due to alleged links with the Russian government and their invasion on Ukraine. That has led to the Russian owner selling the club, with talks still ongoing over a sale to American businessman Todd Boehly.
Where would Chelsea have finished in the Premier League table if Reece James and Ben Chilwell did not suffer serious injuries before Christmas? Have your say in the comments section.
While a drop off in Chelsea’s form has led to City and Liverpool being head and shoulders above both the Blues and the rest of the Premier League this term, Rodgers still feels that his former club are the best team that his current Leicester side have faced this term.
"I would go as far as to say Chelsea are the best team we have played this season,” said Rodgers on the eve of a reunion with his former club. "When we played them early on in the season, they were at the top of their game. I thought they were outstanding.
"Not long after that moment, they lost some players. I've said it before, even with squads like Chelsea’s you need your top players available. Over the course of the time, they have had players out, key players who make the systems function to the highest level.
"Then obviously, there's the distractions behind the scenes, and of course, that's a challenge. What I do know is they've got an outstanding manager who has done a fantastic job since he's been there. They've got a group of really good players, top, top talents.”
Leicester currently sit ninth in the Premier League table but could finish in the top eight if they win to overturn their three-points deficit on Wolverhampton Wanderers in their final two games against Chelsea and Southampton.
Chelsea end their season with back-to-back home games against the Foxes and already-relegated Watford, knowing that two points would guarantee them third place, having already qualified for this season’s Champions League.
