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Brendan Rodgers wary of "fantastic talent" Jack Grealish

Brendan Rodgers wary of
© Reuters
Brendan Rodgers lost an FA Cup semi-final to Aston Villa in 2015 while Liverpool boss.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is out to avoid more semi-final heartbreak at the hands of Jack Grealish.

Aston Villa skipper Grealish inspired his side to a shock 2-1 FA Cup last-four win over Rodgers' Liverpool in 2015.

It was the last time the Foxes manager has suffered a domestic cup defeat and Leicester host Villa in a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Rodgers is unbeaten in 30 cup games – having won the Scottish Cup twice and claimed three Scottish League Cups with Celtic – but knows the threat Grealish poses to his record.

"I came away that day (2015) thinking, 'what a player that boy is'. You are playing at Wembley with about 90,000 and he really stood out," said Rodgers.

"He was drifting in and he showed he had the personality to play on the big stage. I always knew him as a talent but I thought in that game he had the ability to play on the big stage and he was outstanding.

"Everything that has been said about him. He is a fantastic talent and people compare him to James Maddison but he is totally different.

Grealish and Villa knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup in 2015
Grealish and Villa knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup in 2015 (Andrew Matthews/PA)

"They both have individual qualities but they are different players. Great skills, great ability.

"Look at James, he is playing as a central midfielder. He not only attacks and scores goals but he also presses the game. Young Jack has a different role in the Villa team but he is a big talent."

After Villa's relegation in 2016, Grealish struggled for consistency until this season, where he has scored eight goals in 21 outings.

As skipper he helped Villa to promotion back to the Premier League last term and Rodgers has been a fan ever since Grealish masterminded his downfall at Wembley.

He said: "To be fair to Jack, you have seen the maturity in him and it was difficult when he broke through because he was playing for his hometown club, the club he loves, so there was real emotion around it.

"He has broken in, lots of people are hanging around him and everything else but after they got relegated he took on a greater responsibility, showed a leadership role with the club and has helped bring them back up.

"With Dean (Smith) who has the connection to Villa, he knows what it means to work for the club.

"He has matured a lot since the time he was a talent and looks like he has fully developed physically and is a wonderful player."

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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool24231056154170
2Manchester CityMan City24163565273851
3Leicester CityLeicester24153652242848
4Chelsea2412484132940
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd249783629734
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs249783832634
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2481063532334
8Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd248972523233
9Southampton2494113142-1131
10Arsenal2461263234-230
11Crystal Palace247982228-630
12Everton2486102835-730
13Burnley2493122838-1030
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2486102436-1230
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2467112734-725
16Aston Villa2474133145-1425
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham2465132740-1323
18Bournemouth2465132337-1423
19Watford2458112136-1523
20Norwich CityNorwich2445152447-2317

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