Liverpool 3-0 Leicester City: Depleted Reds move second with comfortable win

Liverpool moved level on points with Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur and thwarted Leicester City's hopes of going top with an outstanding performance and victory at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's side remain behind Spurs on goal difference but the manner of the win sounded an ominous warning to those hoping to wrest the title away from the champions.

Liverpool also established a new club record of 64 home league games unbeaten, breaking their previous best run, which was set between February 1978 and January 1981 and itself ended by Leicester.

And they achieved this latest win amid a squad crisis that has robbed them of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah.

"There were a lot of good things. I can't pick one that pleased me most - maybe the performance of James Milner at right-back," Klopp said.

"He played an exceptional game, first there and then in midfield. That is what we expect from ourselves.

"The injuries were a massive shock in that moment but the boys have to offer solutions. We have centre-halves, they are really young. They are not experienced, you saw the bench tonight."

Klopp's side took the lead midway through the first half when Jonny Evans nodded a corner into his own net and the advantage was doubled four minutes before half-time when a move of 30 passes ended with Diogo Jota heading in Andrew Robertson's superb cross.

Liverpool added Salah to their long list of absentees after he tested positive for Covid-19 in Egypt but the prolific Jota, signed from Wolves for £45m in September, once again stepped in - becoming the first player in the club's history to score in his first four competitive home appearances.

Leicester improved marginally in the second half but it was still Liverpool who dominated, Evans heading against his own post and both Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane being denied by the woodwork and keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Firmino was finally on target as he rose to send a fine header out of Schmeichel's reach four minutes from time to give Liverpool the victory margin their superiority deserved.

• Live reaction from Liverpool v Leicester

Liverpool make light of absentees

Liverpool controlled the game - Klopp

There was a sense before kick-off that a depleted Liverpool, and their unbeaten Premier League home record stretching back to 2017, might be vulnerable to the in-form Foxes. Not a bit of it.

Liverpool were rampant from the first whistle and barely gave Leicester City a chance to hit the form that has made them so impressive this season.

And in Jota, Klopp has added another potent threat to go with his long-established world-class attack of Firmino, Mane and Salah.

The Portuguese forward has settled in seamlessly at Anfield, making that piece of history with his goal, but Liverpool were impressive in all areas and the final scoreline could and should have been more emphatic.

Liverpool pinned Leicester in their own half virtually from the kick-off and rivals looking for any signs of potential weakness in the absence of so many key players would have been disappointed.

Klopp's side were right at the top of their game, taking a stranglehold Leicester never threatened to loosen apart from the moment when Harvey Barnes steered a great first-half chance wide with the score at 1-0.

Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Frank Lampard, among others, will harbour ambitions of taking Liverpool's crown. On this evidence, it will take some doing.

Foxes fail to fire

Leicester gave away poor goals - Rodgers

This was a big chance for Leicester City to make another powerful statement about their quality after impressive away victories this season at Manchester City, where they won 5-2, Arsenal and Leeds United.

Sadly, for manager Brendan Rodgers and his talented squad, they came up short here and ended up well beaten.

Leicester did not move the ball with their trademark speed and were unable to get Jamie Vardy, their most potent threat, into any dangerous areas. They looked shaky under a constant wave of Liverpool attacks.

The Foxes felt they were denied an early penalty when the ball struck Joel Matip's hand and Barnes wasted that glorious opportunity but in reality they never deserved anything and this was a chastening experience.

Leicester are a fine side who will have better days and nights in the season ahead but they were never in serious contention at any point.

'The problems will not get smaller'

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to Match of the Day: "We scored three goals and didn't concede one; we defended exceptionally well, controlled the game.

"It's a tricky situation and when Naby [Keita] goes off with a muscle injury, you know the problems will not get smaller. The boys know when they are allowed to train with us they have the quality to do so. We don't give tickets for training - you have to qualify with talent and aptitude. It is a tough school, there a lot of steps to go.

"We have to make sure we recover but the Naby injury didn't help at all."

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers speaking to Match of the Day: "In the first half in particular, we were too passive and defending the space, but didn't have enough contact and gave away poor goals.

"We had a good opportunity on the counter with Harvey Barnes, but overall when you are passive like that, your football is not quite the same. We weren't aggressive enough.

"Second half was a little bit better; we were more aggressive in our press, and that allows us to play better football. Liverpool deserved to win. The guys coming back from the international break were not as cohesive as what we have been.

"It's mentality - you have to get up to the ball. We were happy for them to have it in their own half, but as soon as it came into our territory, we were not as aggressive as I would like.

"Unlike the game last year, when we lost at home, this is a game we can reflect on easily and analyse and move on."

Foxes take Jota's fancy

• Liverpool's record-breaking 64-match unbeaten home league run includes 53 wins.
• Since Brendan Rodgers took charge of Leicester, they have lost all three of their Premier League meetings with Liverpool; conceding nine goals in the process - their most against any opponent in the competition under him.
• Liverpool have only conceded three goals in their past seven games across all competitions (W6 D1), with this their fourth clean sheet within this run.
• Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has netted four goals in five Premier League appearances against Leicester; his most against any opponent in the competition.
• Roberto Firmino has scored two goals in Liverpool's five league games at Anfield this season; he only scored once in 19 Premier League home games in the whole of 2019-20.
• Jota's goal came after a sequence of 30 passes; since Opta started keeping records of this data in 2006-07, this is the most in the build-up to any Liverpool goal in the Premier League.
• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, only Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold has made as many assists as Andy Robertson (26) in the Premier League.
• Jonny Evans' own goal for Leicester was his sixth in the Premier League; in the competition's history, only Richard Dunne (10), Jamie Carragher (7) and Martin Skrtel (7) have scored more.

What's next?

Liverpool host Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday, 25 November (20:00 GMT) before returning to Premier League action at Brighton on Saturday, 28 November (12:30 GMT).

Leicester travel to Portugal to face Braga in the Europa League on Thursday, 26 November (17:55 GMT) and then host Fulham in their next Premier League game on Monday, 30 November (17:30 GMT).

Player of the match

Diogo JotaDiogo Jota

with an average of 8.73

• LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
• LeicesterLeicester CityLeicester City

Liverpool

Avg

1. Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota

   Average rating

   8.73
2. Squad number26Player nameRobertson

   Average rating

   8.61
3. Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino

   Average rating

   8.39
4. Squad number7Player nameMilner

   Average rating

   8.34
5. Squad number10Player nameMané

   Average rating

   8.21
6. Squad number3Player nameFabinho

   Average rating

   8.05
7. Squad number32Player nameMatip

   Average rating

   7.85
8. Squad number1Player nameAlisson

   Average rating

   7.78
9. Squad number17Player nameJones

   Average rating

   7.69
10. Squad number5Player nameWijnaldum

    Average rating

    7.60
11. Squad number8Player nameKeita

    Average rating

    7.29
12. Squad number76Player nameN Williams

    Average rating

    7.22
13. Squad number18Player nameMinamino

    Average rating

    6.51
14. Squad number27Player nameOrigi

    Average rating

    6.36

Leicester City

Avg

1. Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel

   Average rating

   5.91
2. Squad number3Player nameFofana

   Average rating

   4.86
3. Squad number2Player nameJustin

   Average rating

   4.74
4. Squad number10Player nameMaddison

   Average rating

   4.60
5. Squad number8Player nameTielemans

   Average rating

   4.48
6. Squad number24Player nameMendy

   Average rating

   4.45
7. Squad number15Player nameBarnes

   Average rating

   4.40
8. Squad number28Player nameFuchs

   Average rating

   4.40
9. Squad number26Player namePraet

   Average rating

   4.38
10. Squad number9Player nameVardy

    Average rating

    4.36
11. Squad number19Player nameÜnder

    Average rating

    4.34
12. Squad number6Player nameEvans

    Average rating

    4.34
13. Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton

    Average rating

    4.32

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Liverpool

• 1Alisson
• 7Milner
• 32Matip
• 3Fabinho
• 26Robertson
• 17Jones
• 5Wijnaldum
• 8KeitaSubstituted forN Williamsat 54'minutes
• 20JotaSubstituted forOrigiat 89'minutes
• 9Firmino
• 10ManéSubstituted forMinaminoat 89'minutes

Substitutes

• 13Adrián
• 18Minamino
• 21Tsimikas
• 27Origi
• 47Phillips
• 65Clarkson
• 76N Williams

Leicester

• 1Schmeichel
• 3Fofana
• 6Evans
• 28FuchsSubstituted forPraetat 62'minutes
• 11Albrighton
• 8Tielemans
• 24MendyBooked at 66mins
• 2JustinBooked at 45mins
• 10Maddison
• 15BarnesSubstituted forÜnderat 62'minutes
• 9Vardy

Substitutes

• 5Morgan
• 12Ward
• 14Iheanacho
• 19Ünder
• 20Choudhury
• 26Praet
• 33Thomas

Referee:

Chris Kavanagh

Match Stats

Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamLeicester

Possession

Home56%

Away44%

Shots

Home24

Away11

Shots on Target

Home13

Away4

Corners

Home10

Away3

Fouls

Home15

Away6

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Liverpool 3, Leicester City 0.

2. 90'+5'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Liverpool 3, Leicester City 0.

3. 90'+4'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.

4. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Attempt saved. Takumi Minamino (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Curtis Jones.

5. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.

6. 90'+1'

   Post update

   Curtis Jones (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

7. 90'+1'

   Post update

   Foul by James Justin (Leicester City).

8. 90'

   Post update

   Foul by Takumi Minamino (Liverpool).

9. 90'

   Post update

   Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

10. 89'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Liverpool. Takumi Minamino replaces Sadio Mané.

11. 89'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Diogo Jota.

12. 88'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Wesley Fofana (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by James Maddison with a cross following a corner.

13. 88'

    Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Curtis Jones.

14. 86'

    Goal!

    Goal! Liverpool 3, Leicester City 0. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Milner with a cross following a corner.

15. 86'

    Post update

    Attempt blocked. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Milner with a cross.

16. 86'

    Post update

    Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Dennis Praet.

17. 85'

    Post update

    Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by James Maddison.

18. 84'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Diogo Jota.

19. 83'

    Post update

    Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dennis Praet.

20. 79'

    Post update

    Foul by Curtis Jones (Liverpool).

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