Brendan Rodgers warns Arsenal about ‘growing expectations’ as they chase the Premier League title

Brendan Rodgers has warned Arsenal to expect a dramatic increase in pressure as they approach the biggest prize in English football.

Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Leicester two points clear at the top and with one game to go over second-placed Manchester City in their bid to clinch the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.

In the 2013-14 season, Rodgers’ Liverpool derailed pre-season expectations of coming close to winning the league for the first time in 24 years, eventually losing to City by two points.

“There’s definitely a change in emotion, that’s for sure,” Rodgers said. “That is the key aspect and we are not at that stage yet.

“You see the excitement there with the way Arsenal are playing and you feel that the supporters feel that they have a chance, that they have a chance.”

Brendan Rodgers has warned Arsenal to expect a dramatic increase in pressure as they approach the biggest prize in English football.

Mikel Arteta’s team travels to Leicester with a two-point advantage at the top and with one game less than second-placed Manchester City

‘But it’s really not until you get to 10 games to go and then five games to go. If they’re still on top, which I think they will be, then the anticipation for everything and the excitement builds even more.

‘If I look back, it’s really about trying to manage those aspects. Because when you haven’t won the league for so long, then, of course, the closer it gets and the closer you are to it, naturally, the fans dream. So the expectation starts to grow even more.’

Rodgers will complete four years in charge on February 26, making him the fourth-longest-serving manager in the Premier League and eighth among 92 clubs.

This season has been the most difficult of their tenure, with Leicester fighting for survival, and they are still just three points above the relegation zone despite a recent improvement in form.

That’s why Rodgers’ immediate priority is making sure star James Maddison stays in shape.

Liverpool had the Premier League title on their hands towards the end of the 2013-14 season when Steven Gerrard lost his footing and allowed Demba Ba to score at Anfield.

Rodgers’ immediate priority is making sure star James Maddison stays fit.

sports mail revealed on Feb. 15 that the attacking midfielder had undergone a scan as he continues to manage a knee issue, and Rodgers confirmed that Maddison still wasn’t performing at his best.

He said: ‘We have to see how James is doing. He still has a knee problem, so we just have to assess him on Friday after training.

‘He has to rest and recover for longer than he would like. It still has a little problem and it’s not 100 percent, that’s for sure. But he is very focused on getting on the field. He wants to play as often as he can, of course.

“Clearly we want to get him out, but we always have to take risk level into the equation. It’s just managing him right now and getting him out on the field so he can help the team.”