Liverpool were looking to end the year on a high note on Tuesday night as they took on Leicester. Salah failed to score from the spot before LFC missed more great chances. Leicester, on the other hand, struck ice-cold and were ultimately able to rely on the support between the posts.
Leicester coach Brendan Rodgers brought on five new players after the 6-3 defeat at ManCity on Boxing Day. Ndidi, Castagne, Choudhury, Soumaré and goalscorer Vardy replaced Albrighton, Ayoze Perez, Tielemans, Lookman and Vestergaard in the starting eleven.
LFC’s league match against relegation-threatened Leeds United was postponed at the Whites’ request. Therefore, the 5-4 win (3-3) after penalties in the League Cup quarter-final against Leicester was the last competitive match for the Reds and coach Jürgen Klopp, who could again rely on several regulars. Mané, Diogo Jota and Salah started up front and van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, among others, returned in defence. In addition, Alisson was back between the posts for the Reds.
The visitors were also to get off to the better start and were awarded a penalty early in the game after Diogo Jota (4th) and captain Henderson (8th) had missed the first opportunities. Ndidi tripped Salah in the box and brought him down, but the Egyptian’s ill-placed, half-high left-footed penalty failed first to beat Schmeichel in the Leicester box and then hit the crossbar with his head (15). It was only the winger’s second missed penalty for LFC and his first since October 2017. The Reds quickly recovered from the missed chance but lacked precision in the final third.
Schmeichel’s brilliant save keeps Leicester in the game
Shortly afterwards it was again the Dane in goal for the home side, who pulled up his arm against Salah from about three metres out and managed to deflect the powerful finish over the bar (33rd). Leicester slowly got into the game, but Matip saved from Vardy at the last moment (34). Until the break, the Reds increased the pressure again, but in the end, the fast-paced game went into the break goalless.
Mané fails – Lookman does better
After a short period of rest at the beginning of the second half, LFC missed their next chance: Mané showed nerves in a one-on-one with Schmeichel and sent the ball over the crossbar (55). On the other side, the Reds were shocked: Joker Lookman (ex-Leipzig), who had been substituted only three minutes before, dribbled through the penalty area and shot the ball into the left corner from about eleven metres (59). The home side struck with the first shot on goal and took the lead. Jürgen Klopp’s side have lost just one of their last 16 away games, but had just half an hour to stave off a second defeat against Leicester after conceding the goal.
A thrilling final period was a long time coming as the Reds gradually ran out of ideas against the home side’s compact defence. Leicester, on the other hand, gained more and more confidence in their own game and caused LFC a lot of problems. The first big chance of the last minutes was again thwarted by Schmeichel, who dived to save van Dijk’s shot from close range (87th). In injury time, the Reds threw everything forward again, but found their master on this day in the Leicester defence or Schmeichel, who was impossible to get past today.
The Foxes start the new calendar year directly on 1 January at 4pm against Norwich. The Reds visit Chelsea on Sunday, 02 January at 17.30 for the top game and have to prove themselves in the chasing duel – the gap to leaders Manchester City is already six points.
