Brendan Rodgers apologises to Leicester fans for ‘embarrassing’ defeat

Brendan Rodgers has apologised to Leicester City supporters for his team’s “embarrassing” 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest that he said proved “why a lot of these players are not top players”.

On a day when a man from the Leicester end was arrested for running on to the pitch to attempt to attack Forest players celebrating after Joe Worrall’s goal made it 3-0, the visitors’ manager set up a confrontation with his ailing squad by accusing them of a lack of hunger.

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The FA Cup holders, enduring a trying season in the Premier League, were humiliated at the home of their local Championship rivals who landed a fifth-round tie at home to Huddersfield Town.

Philip Zinckernagel, Brennan Johnson and Djed Spence also scored, with Kelechi Iheanacho pulling one back, in the teams’ first meeting for eight years. “The lads were brilliant,” Steve Cooper, the Forest manager, said.

Leicester released a statement banning the pitch invader from their games for life. The FA confirmed they will investigate the incident in which Ryan Yates, Johnson and Davis pushed back against the offender who threw two punches. “The club is appalled by such behaviour and offers its apologies to Nottingham Forest and its players whose safety was compromised,” a Leicester City spokesman said.

Rodgers, who substituted his captain Youri Tielemans for the day for “performance” reasons, lambasted his players after the game. “It was an awful performance and I have to apologise to the supporters,” the Leicester manager said. “To come here, [for] the first game between the two sides for a long time, [with] a great atmosphere… in derby games you need authority and you need