MX23RW : Monday, December 23 02:42:11| >> :120:12666:12666:

Brendan Rodgers heaps praise on Kasper Schmeichel ahead of 400th game

Saturday's game against Southampton will be a milestone for the Denmark international.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has lavished praise on Kasper Schmeichel ahead of the goalkeeper's 400th appearance for the club.

The Denmark international is set to reach the landmark on Saturday night when the Foxes host Southampton in the Premier League.

Rodgers, who has previously described Schmeichel as world-class, hailed the mental strength of the 34-year-old in stepping out of his father's shadow – Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel – and believes his dedication to the game and will to win are what has taken him to the top and made him an inspiration to other players at the club.

"He was always going to be compared to his father, who was one of the world's best, and that was never going to be easy," said Rodgers.

"But I think it really shows you how tough he is mentally. He was probably just known as Peter Schmeichel's son but he has now earned all the praise for himself because of the career he's had.

"His devotion and mentality has really seen him excel at the highest level. He doesn't get tired every day of doing the right things and I can't speak highly enough of him.

"He's super professional and loves training and pushes himself to the limit everyday. He's a great inspiration to the young goalkeepers, and the other players at the club, and he has some old school values, which I really like.

"His spirit is very strong and he wants to win. He's very, very competitive. He wants to win every game in training and he takes that into matches.

"On top of all that, he's a really good guy. He's been a brilliant goalkeeper for me in my time here, and for other managers before me."

Leicester resume their Premier League campaign against a Southampton side who arrive at the King Power Stadium on the back of a victory over champions Liverpool.

Rodgers said: "This is a tough game for us, but it's also an opportunity for us.

"They are very well organised and want to play on the front foot and press the game and they work very hard. They have quality players and an excellent manager, and when you put all that together it makes them a very good team."

Rodgers has been dealt an injury blow with the news that Dennis Praet will be out for around three months after damaging a tendon in his hamstring.

However, top scorer Jamie Vardy and midfielder James Maddison return to the squad after missing the FA Cup win at Stoke.

Right-back Ricardo Pereira (groin), winger Cengiz Under (hamstring) and centre-back Caglar Soyuncu (groin) are also back in contention and could be involved in some capacity on Saturday night, although Rodgers said their returns would be managed "step by step".

ID:430690: cacheID:430690:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4735:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp pictured on February 24, 2019
Read Next:
Premier League gameweek 19 predictions including Liverpool vs. Manchester United
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!