Reds Down Foxes In 5-Goal Thriller

Sports - Football - Premier League - LCFC 2:3 LFC

Liverpool ended their dire run of four games without a win, beating Leicester 2-3 in the Premier League Saturday evening kick-off at the King Power Stadium, surviving a fightback with Simon Mignolet denying Jamie Vardy from the spot.

Click here for my full ByTheMinute match coverage.

Both sides made loads of changes from their cup clash on Tuesday, eight each, including Riyad Mahrez, Shinji Okazaki and Vardy all starting for the Foxes, Philippe Coutinho for the Reds with Sadio Mané still suspended.

It started tense, both sides not showing too much confidence with the ball, making the game more open, end-to-end stuff.

Vardy and Mahrez missed a couple of chances early on, the prior denied by Mignolet before the latter saw his rebound shot go wide.

Emre Can hit the post with Kasper Schmeichel on full-stretch, Mohamed Salah putting the rebound wide.

Okazaki headed wide after Liverpool were unable to clear the ball, seconds before Salah broke the deadlock with just over a quarter of an hour gone.

Coutinho set up the Egyptian with a lovely cross from the left, Salah heading it into the right corner from a tight angle, Schmeichel could only tap the ball into the goal with his finger tips.

The Brazilian star doubled the score halfway through the first half with a brilliant free kick from the little semi-circle just outside the box, right-footer into the left corner, no chance for the keeper.

So, 0-2 up, the Red dominance in possession and play was reflected by the score line for a change.

But the home side ended the half pushing and pressing more, seeing Okazaki's goal flagged and disallowed offside.

It would have been too good to be true to go into the break with a two-goal lead AND a clean sheet for Jürgen Klopp's men after bossing most of the half thanks to Salah and Coutinho.

A scruffy end to the half saw Okazaki pull one back for Leicester deep into injury time:

The Japanese forward had the last touch before the ball crossed the line after it looked like Mignolet had been fouled trying to defend a Mahrez corner, Vardy heading the ball away from the keeper.

The goal stood, it was 1-2 at the break, the Reds' high spirit dampened a bit whilst Craig Shakespeare had something to grasp on.

In the second half, Liverpool continued dominating, but not controlling the game, nerves showing and shaking again and again. With just under 25 minutes gone, all madness broke out.

Under-fire skipper Jordan Henderson made it 1-3 with an easy right-footed shot from the centre of the box.

Seconds later, Vardy pulled one back to make it 2-3, heading the ball in from a tight angle on the left, after Mignolet had pushed substitute Demarai Gray's shot to the striker.

Defence was lacking in both build-ups to the goals, unable to mark, tackle or even just close in on their opponents.

Not even three minutes after that, Mignolet conceded a penalty bringing down Vardy in the box, some pointing out his luck just to see a yellow card for the challenge, his contact with the ball most probably to thank for that.

But the Belgian keeper made up for it, pushing away Vardy's right-footed shot, too central to make it past and in.

Mignolet has now saved seven of his 15 penalties faced since joining LFC in the 2013-14, more than any other stopper.

Schmeichel denied Sturridge late on with a full-stretched save, whilst Vardy put a chance wide before a last-minute free-kick to the home side with their keeper in the Red box was cleared.

It ended 2-3, to the Reds' relief. The Foxes have now only won two of the last 11 Premier League meetings with the Reds, losing seven.

Liverpool have lost just one of their last eight Premier League away games. However, they have conceded ten goals in their opening three games on the road for the first time since 1965.

One does not have to point out the problem(s). Again. Rather appreciate the three points and hope it's just the start to the change of fortune and form. #COYR XxXxX #YNWA

LCFC goals: Okazaki 45'+3 & Vardy 69'.

LFC goals: Salah 15', Coutinho 23' & Henderson 68'.

LCFC team: 1 Schmeichel, 2 Simpson, 5 Morgan, 15 Maguire, 3 Chilwell, 10 King, 25 Ndidi (booked 22'), 11 Albrighton (booked 17') (19 Slimani 80'), 26 Mahrez (7 Gray 61'), 9 Vardy (booked 90'+2), 20 Okazaki (8 Iheanacho 74'). 4-4-1-1
LCFC subs not used: 12 Hamer, 18 Amartey, 21 Iborra, 28 Fuchs.

LFC team: 22 Mignolet (booked 72'), 12 Gomez, 6 Lovren (booked 56'), 32 Matip (booked 45'+2), 18 Moreno, 14 Henderson, 23 Can (7 Milner74'), 5 Wijnaldum, 10 Coutinho (21 Oxlade-Chamberlain 79'), 9 Firmino (15 Sturridge 64'), 11 Salah. 4-3-3
LFC subs not used: Bench: 1 Karius, 17 Klavan, 29 Solanke, 66 Alexander-Arnold.

HT stats: LCFC 1:2 LFC
Possession: 41%-59%
Shots: 6-10
On target: 4-3
Corners: 3-3
Fouls: 8-5
Yellow cards: 2-1

FT stats: LCFC 2-3 LFC
Possession: 43%-57%
Shots: 12-23
On target: 7-6
Corners: 3-6
Fouls: 13-14
Yellow cards: 3-3

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Man of the match: Philippe Coutinho
Stadium: The King Power

Click here for my last LFC match report.

All the pictures, facts and stats are taken from the BBC match report, Twitter and SFR match coverage.

HT Summary LCFC 2:0 LFC

Sports - Football - PL - LCFC 2:0 LFC

Craig Shakespeare in temporary charge after Claudio Ranieri's dismissal, looking for Leicester's first league win since Boxing Day, Jamie Vardy not on the scoreboard since 10th December.

Liverpool wanting to build on their first win of the year against Tottenham, 16 days ago, Philippe Coutinho having not scored nor provided in the last seven games since his return from injury.

The opening 20ish minutes were all Leicester, 4-0 attempts, 2-0 on target, Vardy coming the closest, one-on-one versus Simon Mignolet, the Belgian stopper's legs denying the striker.

But the 30-year-old forward pounced on Georginio Wijnaldum's giveaway, with enough time and space off Marc Albrighton to compose himself and put the Foxes ahead with his right foot, nice and comfy after 28 minutes, the champions' first league goal since New Year's Eve!

Kasper Schmeichel denied Philippe Coutinho just over a minute later after a lovely buildup, first real chance for the Reds.

Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi fed off Vardy to be denied by Mignolet with just over half an hour gone.

Liverpool producing some quality, but Leicester comfortably on top...

And what a strike it was that doubled the lead for the Foxes, Danny Drinkwater whacking it in with his right foot from distance after James Milner thought he had cleared the danger, no chance for the keeper.

Two minutes added on, The King Power sounding loud and proud, a bit mocking. What crises?!?!?! Nicht gut for Jürgen Klopp.

Leicester Pre-Match Form: LLWLLL

Liverpool Pre-Match Form: LLLDLW

Leicester Team: 1 Schmeichel; 28 Fuchs, 6 Huth, 5 Morgan (c), 17 Simpson; 25 Ndidi, 4 Drinkwater; 11 Albrighton, 20 Okazaki, 26 Mahrez; 9 Vardy. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 3 Chilwell, 10 King, 13 Amartey, 19 Slimani, 21 Zieler, 22 Gray, 23 Ulloa.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 7 Milner (c), 21 Lucas, 32 Matip, 2 Clyne; 5 Wijnaldum, 23 Can, 20 Lallana; 10 Coutinho, 11 Firmino, 19 Mané. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 27 Origi, 35 Stewart, 58 Woodburn, 66 Alex-Arnold.

Leicester Goals: Vardy 28', Drinkwater 39'.

HT stats: LCFC-LFC
Score: 2-0
Possession: 38.6%-62.2%
Attempts: 9-6
On target: 5-3
Offside: 2-1
Corners: 5-6
Free kicks: 6-4
Yellow cards: 0-0
Red cards: 0-0

Referee: Michael Oliver
Ground: The King Power Stadium

Click here for my previous LFC match report

Pictures taken from the BBC match report, stats and facts taken from Sky Sports app and coverage.