Liverpool ran their Premier League unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 2-1 comeback win over Leicester City at a wet and foggy Anfield on Boxing Day.
Alexis Mac Allister set up two goals, Cody Gakpo had a goal and an assist, and both Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah scored in the win, which moves Liverpool seven points clear of the Premier League chasing pack with a match yet to play against Everton.
Jordan Ayew put Leicester City ahead after just a half-dozen minutes, but the Foxes struggled to find more chances and eventually saw their fate settled by the favored table leaders.
Leicester slip into the bottom three, a point behind Thursday victors Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Can Arne Slot’s Reds keep Klopp’s famous Mentality Monsters nickname?
For real — We know Jurgen Klopp coined the Mentality Monsters name for his Liverpool side but this one’s looking just as steely, silky, and solid as ever. Driven by Mohamed Salah on the win, the Reds are teeming with confidence. Going behind 1-0 with a healthy table lead on a rain-drenched, fog-obscured Boxing Day against desperate visitors, any team could’ve been tempted into distraction or even to just go through the motions. This was not a problem for Arne Slot’s Reds. They just kept coming in waves, fighting through the rain and firing shots at first-time PL goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, who did very well for the Foxes. The win, however, felt inevitable. That word is overused but it never felt like the Reds would lose this game at Anfield. Who’s surprised that they didn’t? Liverpool have the swagger of a champion with the drive of an underdog, because they’ve been both. They feel like a mix of 2022-23 Liverpool and Manchester City. It’s going to take a monstrous run from someone else to catch these Reds, especially since at this point it looks like it’ll requiring winning head-to-head against Slot’s men.
Liverpool vs Leicester City player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Leicester City player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Leicester City host Manchester City at 9:30am ET Sunday, just before Liverpool go to West Ham United at 12:15pm.
How to watch Liverpool vs Leicester live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3 pm ET Thursday (December 26)
Venue: Anfield — Liverpool
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Liverpool vs Leicester City live score: 3-1
Jordan Ayew 7′, Cody Gakpo 45+2′, Curtis Jones 49′, Mohamed Salah 82′
Liverpool vs Leicester City live updates — By Nick Mendola
Full time — Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City
Mohamed Salah goal — Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City (83rd minute)
That was about all this game was missing, a goal from the red-hot Salah.
It’s a perfect shot that sees its way through a sea of Leicester defenders to shake hands with the side netting.
It’s his 16th of the Premier League season, and it’s gorgeous.
Salah puts Liverpool 3-1 up over Leicester City
Mohamed Salah calmly guides his effort into the far corner of the goal to give Liverpool a commanding 3-1 lead over the Foxes at Anfield.
Szoboszlai yellow card
That’s a fifth for Szoboszlai in his first 19 games of this Premier League season, so he’ll miss Liverpool’s next game.
Liverpool subs
Dominik Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota enter for Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez.
2-1, 78′.
Cody Gakpo goal but confirmed offside after long review
Gakpo buries a Mohamed Salah rebound, but the flag is up for offside.
Time for a review. And it’s a long review.
Still going.
Offside. 2-1, 71′.
Leicester City subs
Bilal El Khannouss and Harry Winks come off, with Facundo Buonanotte and Oliver Skipp taking their places with about 26 minutes to play at Anfield.
Stolarczyk keeps it 2-1
Nunez has it on a plate but cannot get his first-time shot past Stolarczyk.
It’s out for a corner, and Andy Robertson’s left-footed service is partially-cleared by the keeper.
Alexander-Arnold swings it back into the mix and Stolarczyk catches the ball.
2-1, 64′.
Curtis Jones goal — Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City (49th minute)
Alexis Mac Allister takes a quick pass from Mohamed Salah and jets toward the six.
Mac Allister gets his second assist of the game when he fires across goal and sees Curtis Jones snap the ball over the line.
A VAR check reveals Salah to be onside in the build-up.
Jones makes it 2-1 for Liverpool v. Leicester City
Liverpool take the lead thanks to Curtis Jones’ finish from close range to make it 2-1 against Leicester City at Anfield.
Back underway
No subs at the break for either Arne Slot or Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Cody Gakpo goal — Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City (45+2′)
The Dutchman does it himself from the other side of the box.
Gakpo swirls it over the fray and the head of Stolarczyk, a pretty shot inside the far post.
Gakpo’s belter brings Liverpool level v. Leicester
Cody Gakpo cuts inside to his right foot and curls his effort into the top corner to grab Liverpool’s equalizer right before halftime at Anfield.
Salah clips the cross bar
Oh, Mo! It’s a beautiful lofted diagonal shot from the back right of the box toward the far post.
Salah just clips the bar!
The fog continues and the Reds keep pushing
Liverpool have taken seven corners, the seventh coming in the 35th minute and handled by the Foxes.
The Reds are swinging crosses into dangerous area but have yet to beat Stolarczyk, Poland youth international seeing his first Premier League action at the age of 24.
Liverpool getting close
Leicester City keeper Jakub Stolarczyk does very well to reach Andy Robertson’s header of a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross.
The corner kick is handled by Leicester, who still lead in the 27th minute. Shots are 6-4 to Liverpool.
Straight-up miserable weather
Is the foggy field, soaked pitch, and rainy weather good for the underdogs, or just good for no one?
It’s a mess out there, and Leicester probably doesn’t mind too much with its 1-0 lead at Anfield.
Jordan Ayew goal! Liverpool 0-1 Leicester City (7th minute)
Well, that’s Boxing Day for you.
Liverpool had all of the ball and nearly scored twice in the first two minutes.
Five minutes later, from nothing, Leicester lead as Jordan Ayew spins in the box and fires a low shot that takes a turn off Virgil van Dijk to beat Alisson Becker inside the near post.
Ayew blasts Leicester City ahead of Liverpool
Liverpool find themselves behind early in the first half as Jordan Ayew turns and drills his shot past Allison to give Leicester City a 1-0 lead at Anfield.
Liverpool lineup
Alisson, Robertson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Gakpo, Salah, Nunez
Leicester City lineup
Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Winks, Soumare, El Khannouss, Mavididi, Ayew, Daka
Liverpool vs Leicester City preview — By Andy Edwards
Fresh off a 6-3 victory over the weekend, Premier League leaders Liverpool will be oozing with confidence when they host relegation-fighting Leicester at Anfield on Boxing Day.
Arne Slot’s side dismantled Tottenham with ruthless efficiency on the counter, harkening back to the days of Jurgen Klopp’s heavy-metal football of long, long ago. The victory was as important as it was decisive, as Chelsea had draw Everton earlier in the day, when a win would have put the Blues top of the table for a couple hours. Instead, Liverpool sit four points clear at Christmas with a game still in hand. Slot has lost just 1 of his last 54 games as a manager, dating back more than a year (Dec. 3) to his final season at Feyenoord.
After picking up a win and a draw in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first two games in charge, Leicester came back to reality last week as they were beaten 4-0 and 3-0 by Newcastle and Wolves, respectively. What’s worse is, the Foxes are set to play Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa in their next three PL games. The gap between Leicester (17th) and Wolves (18th) and Ipswich (19th) is just two points.
Liverpool team news, focus
OUT: Ibrahima Konate (knee), Conor Bradley (hamstring)
Leicester team news, focus
OUT: Wilfred Ndidi (thigh), Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Abdul Fatawu (knee – out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Mads Hermansen (groin)
Liverpool vs Leicester prediction
The high-tempo game was what was required of Liverpool against Spurs, but this will be one for patient possession and making Leicester defend nonstop. An early goal opens the floodgates again. Liverpool 4-0 Leicester.
