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Records fell at Anfield as Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Leicester set a new unbeaten league milestone at home of 64 games with Diogo Jota also writing his name in the club’s history books.
The Portugal international became the first Reds player to score in his first four home league appearances in the top flight with a good first-half header to add to Jonny Evans’ first own goal.
Roberto Firmino added more brilliance to the scoreboard, after a series of failed occasions, with a header in the 87th minute when Jurgen Klopp’s team, undefeated in the league at Anfield since April 2017, eclipsed the great team of the late 70s and early 1980s, whose own career was coincidentally ended by a Leicester team in 1981.
Fabinho’s return after a three-game absence not only eased Liverpool’s concerns about injuries, but also eased any anxiety at the rear as he entered central defense with a calm and confident performance generally associated with the injured Virgil. Van Dijk.
With Liverpool’s well-publicized woes, Leicester, with a 100 percent record away from home, and their former Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, would have imagined their chances of a first Anfield win in more than 20 years.
However, their 3-4-3 formation was, in effect, a 5-3-2 in a first half in which the hosts were well worth their 2-0 lead.
Jamie Vardy, the scourge of the ‘big six’ teams since 2014, barely had a touch of note, regardless of the opportunity to test Fabinho’s freshly healed hamstring or Joel Matip’s lack of pace.
Instead, it was another forward live in Jota who took center stage, occupying the wide right position that is generally exclusive to Mohamed Salah, and was left out of this match after testing positive for Covid-19 while on international service.
The summer signing was a bundle of energy, roaming the wing and causing all sorts of problems for Leicester, and he was duly rewarded with his goal just before the break.
When he headed in another delicious Andy Robertson cross, it was his seventh goal in his last six games for the club and gave Klopp’s side a lead after Evans headed a James Milner corner kick past his own goalkeeper.
Having survived an early scare when Matip’s arm shot into the penalty area, Liverpool took a pace that their opponents found difficult to break.
With Naby Keita making his first start since last month’s surprising 7-2 loss at Aston Villa, buzzing around midfield Curtis Jones and Jota forced Kasper Schmeichel to make comfortable saves.
Instead, it was Evans, with his sixth own goal in the Premier League (only Richard Dunne, Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel have more) who beat the Leicester goalkeeper.
Ignoring Sadio Mane’s attentions, the Foxes captain was distracted by Christian Fuchs who jumped in front of him and headed for his own goal.
Had Harvey Barnes not seized a good opportunity shortly after the half, it could have been different, but Liverpool started to build pressure and three minutes before the break doubled their lead through Jota after a 30-pass play that highlighted his domain.
Evergreen James Milner, 35 in January, replaced the absent Trent Alexander-Arnold and was right to keep Barnes, 12 years his junior, quiet while offering a right exit until he was moved. to the center of the field after Keita. was added to the list of victims with a hamstring injury.
Milner’s versatility is an obvious asset in these “ troubled ” times and his first act in his most advanced position was to free Mane, whose shot was stopped by Schmeichel, who needed Fuchs to bail him out and come out from under the gun. crossbar with Jota on the prowl.
Jota put the goalkeeper to the test again and Evans headed into his own post as Liverpool should have been out of sight before time.
Leicester failed to capitalize on the introduction of 19-year-old Neco Williams as a right-back and even when Alisson Becker made a good double stop from Vardy and Barnes, any goals would have been ruled offside.
Liverpool hit the post twice in seconds as Firmino’s shot bounced off the line by millimeters and Mane’s shot deflected Schmeichel into the vertical, all after Jota’s brilliant pass opened Leicester.
Firmino’s persistence finally paid off when Liverpool tied Tottenham at the top of the table.
Crisis? What crisis?
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