With Chelsea and Leicester in close competition in the Premier League this season, we recap here our shared past with Rodgers and when we have crossed swords in more recent times…

Brendan the Blue

Rodgers was appointed Chelsea youth team coach in September 2004 having previously been working as the Academy manager at Reading where he had spent nine years as a player and coach.

He played for Northern Ireland and had to retire early through injury. He was recommended for the Chelsea job by Steve Clarke on his promotion from youth coach to the first-team set-up. The two had studied together for their coaching qualifications.

Rodgers moved up to take over as manager of the Chelsea reserve team in 2006. Among the players he coached at youth and reserve level who went on to have significant professional careers are Ryan Bertrand, Jack Cork, Sam Hutchinson, Michael Mancienne, Scott Sinclair, Liam Bridcutt and Ben Sahar.

Valentine’s Day reunion

Following four years at Chelsea, Rodgers left in November 2008 to become first team manager at Championship-side Watford at the age of 35. There he linked up with Frank Lampard’s father, Frank Snr, who worked with him as a consultant.

On Valentine’s Day in February that same season he managed against Chelsea for the first time in an FA Cup game at Vicarage Road. The Blues were between managers – with Luiz Felipe Scolari sacked and Guus Hiddink appointed but yet to take over properly, so Ray Wilkins was in charge on the touchline. We went behind in the second half but won 3-1 thanks to a Nicolas Anelka hat-trick.

Premier League clashes

Having left Watford to return to his former club Reading and then on to Swansea, the biggest defeat Rodgers has suffered against Chelsea came on his first return to Stamford Bridge.

The Swans lost 4-1 in September 2011 with Fernando Torres, Ramires twice and Didier Drogba scoring the Chelsea goals. The victory was despite a first-half red card for Torres shortly after he had scored.

He gave it to Demba Ba

The most famous meeting between Chelsea and a side manager by Rodgers was in April 2014 when Liverpool were going for the league title with three games left to play.

The Reds were banking on victory over the Blues at Anfield but Steven Gerrard’s infamous piece of miscontrol gifted Demba Ba a goal just before half-time and then Willian made it 2-0 from a pass from former Liverpool man Fernando Torres shortly before the final whistle. Man City won the title instead.

We also beat Rodgers’ Reds in a two-legged League Cup semi-final the following season on the way to winning the trophy ourselves. Eden Hazard with a penalty and Branislav Ivanovic were our scorers in the two legs.

Rodgers' record against Chelsea

Following his three years in Scotland at Celtic, Rodgers returned to the Premier League with Leicester during last season and faced Chelsea at the end of that campaign and the beginning of this one. Both matches ended in draws. Rodgers’ record against Chelsea to date is drawn seven and lost six with no wins.