About six games into this incredible season, Brendan Rodgers was my favourite to become the first casualty of the now commonplace managerial sackings. With just a draw and five losses to start the season, the handwriting was shining brightly on the wall. Of course, they experienced a mini revival afterwards that saw them win three and draw one of the next six games, a run that served as a timely reminder of the incredible job Rodgers has done at Leicester. That eased the pressure on the beleaguered manager.
With James Maddison doing the heavy lifting job of creating and scoring goals, it looked like all will be well. Or, maybe we've just gotten used to Leicester doing so well that we instinctively assumed Leicester will soon pull away from the relegation scrap and insert themselves into the crowded dogfight for European places they've gotten accustomed to. Steven Gerrard got sacked; Thomas Tuchel was relieved of his duty; Antonio Conte departed by mutual consent; Vieira was not spared. Yet, Brendan Rodgers still wakes up as the manager of Leicester City. In fact, that's some sort of miracle to me.
Can Leicester City get relegated?
As funny as it sounds, Leicester are the king of surprises. They went from fighting hard to escape relegation one season to clinching an incredible league triumph the next. If they go from competing for European places to playing in the Championship next season, it shouldn't be an absolute shocker - just a reversal. However, just like I believed Everton had more than enough quality to escape relegation last season, I'm also leaning on the quality in the Leicester City ranks to pull them clear. What is unclear right now is if Rodgers will be the one to lead them away from a stint in the second division next season.
One thing that definitely works against Rodgers is the last gasp loss his team suffered at Crystal Palace yesterday. Aiyawaat would've noticed how Palace, a team with zero wins in the last 12 games, rallied to dominate and win after the appointment of a new manager. The president will definitely be considering getting in a new voice that can help turn the tide of the sinking Leicester ship. Relegation to the Championship will ruin all the good works the family has done at the club. Also, the financial implications of not playing in the Premier League will be too steep for the Midland team after recently displaying some not so good figures in the financials.
With 10 games to go, the margin for error is shrinking. One thing that may work in their favour is the fixtures. They play five of their direct relegation rivals in the remaining 10 games. Those games will be hugely important. However, the most important one for Rodgers at the moment will be the home tie against Aston Villa on Tuesday. If Leicester lose that, Rodgers will probably be sacked before the weekend. If they win, they'll have a spring in their steps. But, based on current form, Leicester players need to play their hearts out if they want to win against Villa. The fate of their beloved manager now lies firmly in their hands. They can choose to save him, or choose to wreck him!
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