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Brendan Rodgers, the former manager of Leicester City, has been sacked after the team dropped into the Premier League relegation zone following a late 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday, April 1. This loss extended the Foxes' winless run to seven matches, which triggered crisis talks and ultimately led to Rodgers' departure after four years at the club. Leicester has only won one Premier League fixture in 2023 and is currently 19th in the table, with 10 games remaining in the season.
Announcing Rodgers' sack, Leicester's chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, stated that "performances and results during the current season have been below our shared expectations. It had been our belief that continuity and stability would be key to correcting our course. Regrettably, the desired improvement has not been forthcoming, and with 10 games of the season remaining, the Board is compelled to take alternative action to protect our Premier League status."
Although the Foxes experienced some of their finest footballing moments under Rodgers' management, including their first-ever FA Cup triumph in 2021, the Board felt that a change in leadership was necessary to secure the team's position as a Premier League club. Assistant manager Chris Davies and first-team fitness coach Glen Driscoll were also let go, according to a club statement. First-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell will take charge in the short term, with no indication that a new managerial appointment is imminent.
Rodgers joined Leicester in February 2019 after a successful stint with Scottish side Celtic, where he won the Premiership twice as well as two domestic trebles. During his time with Leicester, he guided the team to consecutive fifth-placed finishes between 2019-2021. His departure marks the 11th managerial sacking in the Premier League this season and the 12th managerial departure overall. Notably, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are the only teams in the bottom half of the table that have not changed their managers.
The Foxes face five relegation rivals in their next 10 fixtures, including a crucial trip to Manchester City. They will host Aston Villa on Tuesday, April 4, and will need to show "poise, quality, and fight" to secure their position as a Premier League club.