24.02.2019 19:25 h

Rodgers focused on Celtic title defence not Leicester link

Celtic's boss Brendan Rodgers said on Sunday his side's defence of their Scottish Premiership title remains his priority, not being linked with the vacancy at Premier League strugglers Leicester City.

The 46-year-old Northern Irishman is odds-on favourite with bookmakers to be the successor to Frenchman Claude Puel, who was sacked earlier on Sunday following the Foxes' dire 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday -- their fifth defeat in six games.

However Rodgers -- whose Celtic team are eight points clear of Glasgow rivals Rangers at the top of the league -- brushed off the speculation.

"My job is to concentrate on the football aspect, and that is with Celtic," Rodgers told the BBC.

"I've been stood here for two and a half years and I've been asked similar questions, my message is always very, very clear, I'm very concentrated on the game."

The rumours did not affect his players as they romped to a 4-1 victory over Motherwell on Sunday to stay well ahead of Rangers, who had whipped struggling Hamilton Academicals 5-0 earlier on Sunday.

Rodgers has rebuilt his reputation since arriving at Celtic in 2016 following his sacking from Liverpool the previous year.

He has guided them to the domestic treble in successive seasons (2016/17, 2017/18) and is on course to repeat that feat this term having already won the League Cup.