Liverpool controlled the first half without creating many chances – in fact the two best opportunities fell to Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, who headed from point blank range into the arms of Allison Becker when he should have found the back of the net, and struck the top of the bar with a shot from inside the area – though, perhaps, in hindsight, the most significant moment in the forty-five was when the energetic James Milner went off with his usual hamstring injury to be replaced by Thiago Alcantara.
Since arriving from Bayern Munich in the off-season, the much-hyped Spaniard looks wonderful when Liverpool are on the front foot but a liability when Liverpool are defending, showing a penchant for committing petty and unnecessary fouls in dangerous areas.
Liverpool took a deserved lead on 67 minutes with a terrific curling shot from Salah from the right side of the area after being set up by some mesmerising pirouetting skill from Robert Firmino in one of the assists of the season. The game looked Liverpool’s for the taking. A repeat of the 3-0 scoreline against Leicester at Anfield earlier in the season wouldn’t have come as a surprise. Liverpool were that dominant.
But this happy outcome never transpired. Eight minutes later, a clumsy foul from Thiago on Harvey Barnes on the edge of the Reds’ area – which the referee, the ever-dreadful Anthony Taylor, initially gave as a penalty before the VAR decided the infringement was just outside the box – resulted in a whipped cross from James Maddison that beat Allison at his far post. Daniel Amartey was flagged offside but, this time, the VAR decided on review that the Leicester defender was being played onside by the toe of Firmino and the goal stood.
The lengthy VAR reviews – a penalty given, then taken away, a goal disallowed, then allowed – seemed to unsettle Liverpool and a minute later a hopeful ball from Mark Albrighton from the Leicester half caused havoc between Liverpool’s debutant centre-back Ozan Kabak and Allison, who both challenged for the ball, which came off the shin of the former Schalke man and squirted into the path of Vardy, who knocked the ball into the empty Liverpool net for his easiest goal of the season.
Whether Allison called and Kabak didn’t hear or ignored the shout is not clear, but what is clear is that Allison had another poor day with wayward kicking and decision making.
The rout was complete on 85 minutes when a Leicester attack down Liverpool’s right saw Trent Alexander Arnold, Thiago and Kabak all nowhere as Barnes raced forward with the ball unmolested, reaching the area where he could’ve passed to Vardy or take on the chance himself, which he did, cooly slotting passed Allison, who has conceded seven goals in his last two games.
The Reds are now six points behind Leicester in the Premier League. Attentions now turn to Liverpool’s Champion League’s campaign, which resumes on Tuesday with the first leg of the tie against RB Leipzig, and next Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Everton. Klopp has much to think about. Surely, it’s time to resume playing Jordan Henderson in midfield. Not that the captain has done badly at centre-half, but his dynamism and control is sorely missed. Klopp has to trust the specialist centre-halves at his disposal, otherwise why have them?
