Brendan Rodgers came to Anfield with a positive mind, but again might have been a bit naiv in his approach with his team selection, keeping players such as Hamza Choudhury and Marc Albrighton on the bench, in favor of Dennis Praet and Harvey Barnes, who are slightly more aggressive and offensive in their playing style.
As we had predicted, you cannot really believe that you shall go to Anfield and dominate the game, and Leicester City didn’t. At home probably that would have been a confident idea, but here, no. Praet and Tielemans worked well, with Maddison not really finding himself in the first half. Ndidi did as we all expected a great job, but should have had Hamza alongside him with Tielemans adding up that midfield.
Liverpool had a number of chances with Kasper Schmeichel kept busy for most of the first half, and great credit to Caglar Soyuncu who looked a class act against those top players Mane, Firmino and Salah. Jonny Evans struggled a bit, so did Ricardo Pereira and Ben Chilwell, not finding enough space and being counterattacked a lot.
Leicester fought well and almost without having the ball in the first half they kept it clean until the 40th minute, when a well placed James Milner pass found Mane who with a clinical strike scored 1-0 just a few mintues before the half time whistle blow.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers made a half time substitution, replacing Harvey Barnes with Marc Albrighton as we would have done from start, feel that Albrighton has that killer pass that can find Jamie Vardy and especially away he is vital for the counter attacks, and Vardy is, in this type of game, more effective with Albrighton’s passing present.
Leicester managed to get a better grip on the game and had a number of “half” attempts as the 2nd half made promise of getting something from this game, and after a long wait James Maddison found the net in the 80th minute with a find finish.
Before this Jamie Vardy came close, but effectively stopped by Liverpool defenders who also managed to keep the Leicester full backs Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira relatively silent during 90 minutes
When we all thought the game was going to end in a draw, Mane again made the difference, being able to get his foot in front of Marc Albrighton who with a soft touch on the oppositions foot, made it difficult for the ref.
A penalty was given, and with VAR also checking, you cannot really discuss the situation despite everyone seeing that Mane made a nice Hollywood act later on in the incident. Correct or not, Liverpool got their penalty and, “man of the match” James Milner, scored from the spot, with Kasper Schmeichel going in the wrong direction.
Liverpool were the far better team in the first half, but Leicester made it more equal in the 2nd half and a draw could have been deserved, but you cannot do the errors Marc Albrighton did, then you get punished.
Hamza Choudhury and Ayoze Perez both came on and especially Hamza made his mark with a grand tackle on Mohamed Salah, stopping an attack that could have led to a goal. Well fought by the Leicester City players, but in the end not good enough, would have been great to get a point at Anfield.
A confrontation between Ayoze Perez and Andy Robertson made it a bit tense after the final whistle, getting almost all players involved in an “idiotic” incident that should have been avoided, but it shows that Leicester City and Liverpool were a tight battle, with Liverpool coming out on top at the end.
- Positives:
- Ability to come back and Maddison scoring his goal
- Caglar Soyuncu, a great game again, the best “fox” on the field
- Kasper Schmeichel making some fantastic saves
- Negatives:
- Naiv line-up from start, adjustments had to be made
- 1st half, not in the game at all
- Of course losing in the end, MA could have cleared the ball
- Losing the game, with a point in reach
- Player Ratings: Schmeichel 7. Pereira 5, Chilwell 5, Evans 5, Soyuncu 8, Nididi 7, Praet 6, Tielemans 7, Barnes 5, Vardy 6, Maddison 7, Subs: Albrighton 6, Choudhury, Perez
Match Stats: H/A
- Possession: 57 / 43
- Corners: 4 / 6
- Shots on target: 6 / 1
- Fouls: 8 / 16
- Offsides: 3 / 3
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