Liverpool vs Leicester match report: New-look Anfield, new-look Reds as Jurgen Klopp's side hammer Foxes
Liverpool vs Leicester match report: New-look Anfield, new-look Reds as Jurgen Klopp's side hammer Foxes
Liverpool 4 Leicester 1: The Reds returned to Anfield in style as they overcame the Premier League champions with ease
The sense of occasion was enormous. The first match in front
of Anfield’s new main stand was marked by 17 legends from Liverpool’s
past being paraded in the moments before kick-off.
A criticism of modern Liverpool, indeed is that Jürgen Klopp’s current team does not possess the necessary star quality to make Liverpool great again and Klopp always counters that argument by pointing towards his track record of making stars rather than spending lots of money on them.
Perhaps Sadio Mané will prove to be one of those players. The Senegalese, who let’s not forget, is Liverpool’s record signing, cut through Leicester’s defence time and time again here; scoring once, supplying another. When Klopp chose to remove him in injury time, appreciating that an ovation would arrive, the roar seemed to come from the guts of the stadium.
The outcome means that Leicester have now lost twice this season. Bearing in mind defeat was only suffered on three occasions when they became Premier League champions, it feels unlikely this improbable feat will be repeated soon. They miss N'Golo Kanté badly and Claudio Ranieri’s attempt to replace him here with Daniel Amartey – a defender playing in midfield – did not work.
Liverpool’s opening goal was a thing of beauty. James Milner, operating as a left back again, illustrated why it sometimes helps to have a right footed player in that position. Leicester had targeted him before, thumping high cross-field passes in his direction. And yet, in possession, they seemed to forget to close down. With that, Milner’s sliced a pass through Leicester’s midfield and defence, releasing Roberto Firmino.
From there, there was still much to do but the attacker made the challenge look easy, dragging Robert Huth into a place he really did not want to be before fooling Kasper Schmeichel with the calmest of finishes.
Daniel Sturridge clipped a shot into Schmeichel’s chest before assisting with Liverpool’s second. Jordan Henderson’s chipped pass appeared to have released the striker.
A few years ago, maybe he would have been able to race free of
someone like Danny Simpson and score himself but having suffered from so
many injuries, his game has had to adapt. He still sees opportunities
that others do not and this contributed towards Mané converting instead,
the winger having sprinted some distance to meet Sturridge’s wonderful
back-heel.
Leicester could not get going. Their route back into the game was handed to them by Lucas, who was filling in for Dejan Lovren at centre back after a head injury sustained at Melwood on Friday left him with a black eye. Upon receiving possession from a short goal kick by Simon Mignolet, the Brazilian hesitated and his first touch meant he had to attempt a clearance across his own penalty area. Jamie Vardy, waiting near the penalty spot, could not miss.
Leicester finished the half with momentum. From a Luis Hernandez throw-in, Robert Huth’s header clanked against the top of the crossbar. The break came at the wrong time for the visitors, as Liverpool regrouped and scored their third. With the Kop demanding Georginio Wijnaldum pass to Firmino, the midfielder instead elected to feed Adam Lallana and his angled drive was gloriously delivered.
Liverpool continued to take unnecessary risks in defence, choosing to
take short passes when longer ones would have been better. A feeling
remains they will not keep many clean sheets this season.
Liverpool, though, are able to outscore opponents. And this became the third time in five games when the opposition conceded four or more when Mané evaded the challenge of Schmeichel near the half way line to supply Firmino with his second.
A criticism of modern Liverpool, indeed is that Jürgen Klopp’s current team does not possess the necessary star quality to make Liverpool great again and Klopp always counters that argument by pointing towards his track record of making stars rather than spending lots of money on them.
Perhaps Sadio Mané will prove to be one of those players. The Senegalese, who let’s not forget, is Liverpool’s record signing, cut through Leicester’s defence time and time again here; scoring once, supplying another. When Klopp chose to remove him in injury time, appreciating that an ovation would arrive, the roar seemed to come from the guts of the stadium.
The outcome means that Leicester have now lost twice this season. Bearing in mind defeat was only suffered on three occasions when they became Premier League champions, it feels unlikely this improbable feat will be repeated soon. They miss N'Golo Kanté badly and Claudio Ranieri’s attempt to replace him here with Daniel Amartey – a defender playing in midfield – did not work.
Liverpool’s opening goal was a thing of beauty. James Milner, operating as a left back again, illustrated why it sometimes helps to have a right footed player in that position. Leicester had targeted him before, thumping high cross-field passes in his direction. And yet, in possession, they seemed to forget to close down. With that, Milner’s sliced a pass through Leicester’s midfield and defence, releasing Roberto Firmino.
From there, there was still much to do but the attacker made the challenge look easy, dragging Robert Huth into a place he really did not want to be before fooling Kasper Schmeichel with the calmest of finishes.
Daniel Sturridge clipped a shot into Schmeichel’s chest before assisting with Liverpool’s second. Jordan Henderson’s chipped pass appeared to have released the striker.
Mane bagged Liverpool's second (Getty)
Leicester could not get going. Their route back into the game was handed to them by Lucas, who was filling in for Dejan Lovren at centre back after a head injury sustained at Melwood on Friday left him with a black eye. Upon receiving possession from a short goal kick by Simon Mignolet, the Brazilian hesitated and his first touch meant he had to attempt a clearance across his own penalty area. Jamie Vardy, waiting near the penalty spot, could not miss.
Leicester finished the half with momentum. From a Luis Hernandez throw-in, Robert Huth’s header clanked against the top of the crossbar. The break came at the wrong time for the visitors, as Liverpool regrouped and scored their third. With the Kop demanding Georginio Wijnaldum pass to Firmino, the midfielder instead elected to feed Adam Lallana and his angled drive was gloriously delivered.
Jurgen Klopp with his players after the final whistle (Getty)
Liverpool, though, are able to outscore opponents. And this became the third time in five games when the opposition conceded four or more when Mané evaded the challenge of Schmeichel near the half way line to supply Firmino with his second.
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