Liverpool vs Leicester City match report: Liverpool report

Liverpool edged past Leicester City 2-1 at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday in what was an enthralling end-to-end contest separated by fine margins. 

Brendan Rodgers’ return to Merseyside wasn’t a happy one, as the reigning European champions claimed all three points in a tense encounter to register their eighth straight victory in the Premier League this term, thanks to an injury-time penalty from James Milner. 

Sadio Mane put the hosts in front before James Maddison put the Foxes back on level terms with ten minutes remaining but it was Milner’strike from 12 yards in the fifth minute of stoppage time that proved to be the difference between the sides. 

Having got the better of Red Bull Salzburg in a 4-3 thriller at home on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, Liverpool were high on confidence heading into a tricky fixture against a Leicester side that came into the game on the back of an emphatic 5-0 victory over Newcastle United last week. 

There was hardly anything to choose between the two teams in the first half except a moment of sheer brilliance from James Milner, with the veteran producing a sumptuous assist with his weaker left foot to set up Sadio Mane, who ran past Jonny Evans to beat Kasper Schmeichel with a cool and composed finish.  

With Leicester struggling to find enough room to threaten Liverpool’s backline, the Reds had a gilt-edged chance to double their advantage and it could have been 2-0 before the interval had Mane managed to beat Schmeichel off an accurate cut-back from Roberto Firmino. 

The pace-setters went into the interval with a slender advantage and pretty much dictated the play after the restart. Mo Salah’s effort from point-blank range was repelled by Schmeichel early in the first half before Mane hit the side netting following a couple of breathtaking one-twos with Salah. 

Andrew Robertson, who had an excellent game on the left, ran into acres of space but the Scotsman fired his shot straight at Schmeichel, who once again kept the Foxes in the hunt with a regulation save. 

Leicester, though, kept probing away and their patience finally paid the dividends. Marcus Albrighton picked out Ayoze Perez in the hole behind the striker and the Spaniard put the ball into the path of James Maddison, who slipped the ball through the legs of Adrian into the net to restore parity. 

With time running out for Liverpool, it looked as if the hosts’ perfect record in the Premier League was finally going to come to an end against a fearless Leicester side but a single moment of carelessness ruined the day for the Foxes. 

Albrighton appeared to have caught the heels of Mane with a challenge inside the box and referee Chris Kavanagh had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, with the VAR confirming that there was no clear and obvious error from the on-field official.

As he has done for often in the past, James Milner stepped up to take the penalty and sent Schmeichel the wrong way in the 95th minute to ensure that Liverpool maintained their perfect record in the Premier League. 

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Jurgen Klopp would have had his heart in his mouth for the last ten minutes but he will be a very relieved man after a hard-fought victory over a Leicester side that has been tipped to break into the top-six this season. 

Here’s how some of the jubilant Liverpool fans reacted to the 2-1 victory over Leicester: