Liverpool avoided an early scare to come from behind to beat Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield on Boxing Day.
There was a real danger that the final Premier League The match on Boxing Day would not be played. A pea-soup fog befitting post-war London loomed over Anfield like a Christmas guest that wouldn't leave.
Poor as the visibility was, Andy Robertson couldn't blame the adverse weather conditions when he lost control of Jordan Ayew in Leicester's surprise opener. of under fire defender of the wing was left spinning the wrong way by a sharp pivot from Ayew, who promptly picked out the bottom corner in the mist in the sixth minute.
This was a Leicester side languishing in the relegation zone, a Leicester side that had conceded 82 shots in their previous four games, a Leicester side missing their talismanic striker. Jamie Vardy and the club's player of the season so far, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. However, it was the Premier League leaders who pulled away until the first half break.
When Ruud van Nistelrooy's PSV Eindhoven beat Arne Slot's Feyenoord in the Eredivisie two years ago, Cody Gakpo had a hand in all four goals for the winners that day. The Dutch striker proved decisive again – but for a different manager. Cutting in on his stronger right foot from the left wing, Gakpo curled the ball wide LeicesterThird-choice goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to bring the Reds level on the eve of the first half.
Not even four minutes into the second half when Curtis Jones fired Liverpool ahead. It took nearly as long for the numbers reviewed at Stockley Park to confirm the validity of a close-range strike, which came at the end of a suffocating spell from the hosts. Liverpool centre-back duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were both dribbling in Leicester's penalty box – which was packed with six other red shirts – when Jones pounced.
Liverpool tightened their grip on the race afterwards. Leicester barely got out of their own half after the interval, pushed to within an inch of their lives by the feisty league leaders. Cody Gakpo was sent off for a second of the evening by a three-minute VAR check, but Mohamed Salah invariably found the back of the net. Following a pass from his fellow Dutchman, Liverpool's free agent fired his current employers into a 3-1 lead in the 82nd minute.
Leicester's last shot of the game came in the tenth minute. The visitors struggled to finish the day in the relegation zone afterwards Wolves' early win over Manchester Unitedas Liverpool extended their lead at the Premier League summit to seven points.
|
Player |
ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|
|
GC: Alisson |
6.5/10 |
|
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold |
7.8/10 |
|
CB: Joe Gomez |
7.9/10 |
|
CB: Virgil van Dijk |
7.8/10 |
|
LB: Andy Robertson |
7.9/10 |
|
CM: Ryan Gravenberch |
7.1/10 |
|
CM: Alexis McAllister |
8.6/10 |
|
AM: Curtis Jones |
7.9/10 |
|
RW: Mohamed Salah |
8.6/10 |
|
ST: Darwin Nunez |
6.7/10 |
|
LW: Cody Steele |
8.8/10 |
|
UNDER: Dominik Szoboszlai (78' for Jones) |
5.9/10 |
|
UNDER: Diogo Jota (78' for Nunez) |
5.9/10 |
|
UNDER: Kostas Tsimikas (86' for Robertson) |
N/A |
|
UNDER: Wataru Endo (87' for Gravenberch) |
N/A |
|
UNDER: Harvey Elliott (92' for Salah) |
N/A |
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Jarell Quansah, Federico Chiesa, Luis Diaz.
|
Player |
ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|
|
GC: Jakub Stolarczyk |
6.3/10 |
|
RB: James Justin |
6.1/10 |
|
CB: Conor Coady |
5.8/10 |
|
CB: Jannik Vestergaard |
6.2/10 |
|
LB: Victor Kristiansen |
5.6/10 |
|
CM: Harry Winks |
5.8/10 |
|
CM: Boubakary Soumare |
5.5/10 |
|
AM: Bilal El Khanous |
6.1/10 |
|
RW: Jordan Ayew |
7.9/10 |
|
ST: Patson Daka |
6.1/10 |
|
LW: Stephy Mavididi |
7.2/10 |
|
UNDER: Facundo Buonanotte (64' for El Khannous) |
5.6/10 |
|
UNDER: Oliver Skipp (65' for Winks) |
6.2/10 |
|
UNDER: Bobby De Cordova-Reid (87' for Mavididi) |
N/A |
|
UNDER: Memeh Caleb Okoli (95' for Coady) |
N/A |
Subs not used: Daniel Iversen (GK), Hamza Choudhury, Luke Thomas, Will Alves, Odsonne Edouard.