Liverpool refusal will leave Arne Slot delighted after very different Boxing Day repeat
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It was fitting the fog should partially clear at the final whistle because Liverpool have put daylight between them and the chasing pack in the title race. Arne Slot’s side have moved seven points clear at the top of the table - and have a game in hand on their closest challengers Chelsea. This was just as important as Liverpool’s 4-0 romp over Leicester on Boxing Day 2019 on their way to their last title, even if it was achieved without the same panache.
Liverpool dug out this win when it seemed everything was initially against them. Slot will have been delighted by the character his side displayed as they refused to accept this would not be their night. It might have been so different and Leicester sensed an upset when they scored an early opener, partly through some sloppy defending by Liverpool, and soaked up everything the Reds could throw at them. The Reds kept going and got their reward in first-half stoppage time with a peach of a strike from Cody Gakpo to bring up 10 goals this season.
Leicester’s resolve was broken and Curtis Jones scored Liverpool’s second just after half-time before Mohamed Salah netted his customary goal with his 19th strike of his phenomenal season. There is no stopping Salah and he now has 27 Premier League goal involvements.
Leicester showed pluck and boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will have seen positives, even if they have slipped into the bottom three on the back of a run of just one win in 10 league games. Jakub Stolarczyk made his first appearance of the season for Leicester and the Pole made a fine double save, first from Salah and then from Jones from the rebound. Those stops became even more critical when Leicester stunned Anfield to take a shock lead on six minutes.
