Rodgers: Very, Very Disappointing

- Brendan Rodgers reflects on Leicester City's 2-1 reverse at Crystal Palace
- It's a result which leaves the Foxes inside the Premier League's bottom three
- Ricardo Pereira's opener was overturned by a Daniel Iversen own goal and Jean-Philippe Mateta's late strike
- Rodgers says Leicester's players need to be ready to go again next week

Ricardo Pereira put City ahead with a fine strike early on in the second half, after the Eagles dominated before the break. An unfortunate Daniel Iversen own goal, though, was added to by Jean-Philippe Mateta in added time. 

It's a result which leaves Leicester 18th in the Premier League and without a win in seven matches in all competitions. 

"It’s very, very disappointing," Rodgers told LCFC TV at full-time. "It’s obviously a sore one for us because I didn’t think we deserved to lose the game. When the home team are pushing, you’ve just got to see the game through."

The Foxes had to absorb waves of pressure from the off in south London, with Palace sending 20 shots at goal before the break. A brief uplift in the second half, however, led to Ricardo's opener before the Eagles turned the game around.

"That’s football in the Premier League, especially when you’re away from home," the Northern Irishman added. "You’ve got to dig in. You’ve got to take pressure. I think we did that. We weren’t so good with the ball, we gave it away, and we gave them the initiative in the game. The back four and the goalkeeper were excellent – defending and getting blocks in.

"We needed to be more physical and we lacked that. With the ball, it’s [about] finding ways to get the extra man into midfield. Ricky was able to give us that. That gives us a four vs. three in midfield and then we can move from that.

"In the second half, we came out and, for the first 15 minutes, we were excellent. It was how I want us to play – fast football and getting through the pitch quickly. We looked a real threat and then we ended up scoring a fantastic goal, but we didn’t build on that. Once they got their equaliser, I felt we just lost our rhythm in the game.

"We didn’t quite get our flow and our passing going again. We still hung in there. There weren’t so many chances [late in the game]. I think Daniel Iversen had one save to make down to his left side, so it looked like it was drifting for a point each.

"It’s just that bit of concentration at the end to see the result through and sadly we couldn’t do it. Daniel Iversen was excellent. He’s made some really good saves. He was unfortunate on [Palace's first goal], but he did really well today."

Two home games in quick succession are on the horizon for City, with Aston Villa on Tuesday and AFC Bournemouth on Saturday. Rodgers says it's absolutely vital that the players pick themselves up to go again before that double header.

"For 24 hours, [the players will] hurt, but this is our job," he explained. "I think we had moments of really good football today. They defended really well and with a lot of resilience, but they’ll get the belief again for Tuesday night.

"That’s part of football. Believing doesn’t come from always winning games and success. It comes through pain and that resilience. The players have certainly taken a sore one today and we’ll get them ready for Tuesday night."