Leicester City's 'surprise' plan pays off for Brendan Rodgers as 17 players benefit

Leicester City’s plan worked out exactly as manager Brendan Rodgers had hoped as they recorded two victories on Saturday while a host of players got 90-minute run-outs.

City beat Derby 3-1 and then Preston 2-1 on the penultimate weekend of pre-season games as Rodgers split his squad in two for the day, just as he did in his first year in charge at the club three years ago. Doing so allowed City to use 27 players in total, with 17 getting a full match for the first time this summer.

Rodgers said “people may be surprised” by the plan, and that he would not be overseeing all of his players, with assistant boss Chris Davies entrusted to lead the group at Derby. West Ham are the only other Premier League club to play two pre-season matches at the same time this summer.

But Rodgers says it puts the club in a better position for the Premier League opener against Brentford in a fortnight’s time. Speaking to LCFC TV from Preston, the manager said: “People may be surprised at playing two different teams but we’re trying to get as many of them through 90 minutes. We’re at this stage where we have to keep building the fitness levels. For Chris and the guys there, it was great.

“It was exactly what we needed. Over the course of the two games, it was trying to get as many players 90 minutes and you could see into the second half where we lost too many balls with tiredness and fatigue.

“It’s not all about winning, because in pre-season you’re preparing to win, but it does help when you do because it sets a mentality. Preston are ready for next week when their league starts and came on strong [in the second half], so you have to defend well against it.

“I’m really pleased. In the first half, the speed of our game and our tactical idea