Fox-hunting Liverpool go seven points clear – they will take some stopping
Liverpool are partial to a bit of fox-hunting on Boxing Day.
The previous time they beat Leicester City on December 26 was in the middle of their dash to the 2020 Premier League.
Jürgen Klopp considered that a statement performance, reflected upon as the day he knew he would take the championship crown. Only a pandemic got in his club’s way that year. This time, the Kop supporters were bouncing in and out of Anfield with another bout of title fever.
There were more obstacles to overcome than during the 4-0 rout at the King Power stadium five years ago, not least Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side taking a sixth-minute lead through Jordan Ayew which they held until first-half injury time.
But the likelihood of a shock evaporated in the haze once Cody Gakpo equalised and Curtis Jones celebrated his 100th Premier League appearance with a goal and congratulatory text from his former manager.
“I came in then and I saw a text from Klopp saying ‘congratulations on 100 games and here’s to 500’,” said Jones.
Naturally, Mohamed Salah scored again, too, his 19th goal of the season. They might as well start advertising Salah goals as part of the match-day experience.
The Premier League's top scorer does it again!
MO SALAH 🎯👑#PLonPrime #LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/3lSKugO7Qg— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 26, 2024
Most striking was the poise and calm in which Liverpool executed their recovery. The sense of attacking purpose and tactical choreography of the Klopp era has been enhanced with the authority and experience of players emboldened by the knowledge they can recover any situation.
With respect to Leicester, this Liverpool side has overcome more perilous positions than a relegation-threatened team taking an early lead and parking the bus at Anfield. Nevertheless, the professionalism and lack of panic or hints of anxiety bodes well for Liverpool’s title bid.
“It feels different, but the most important thing is we need to stay humble,” said Salah, reflecting Liverpool’s status as a team relishing being frontrunners. They are there to be shot at, but they know the scale of the effort required to chase them in the curious absence of Manchester City from this year’s title race, the champions now an extraordinary 14 points adrift having played a game more.
This Liverpool team understands the challenge of months ahead - some have been through it on many occasions and others last season – and they do not look in the mood to suffer, throwing the gauntlet at the feet of Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca to keep up by extending the lead to seven points.
Those packed inside Anfield have also seen this show before.
Leicester were supposed to be fodder. The strange results across this Premier League season ought to have taught the complacent that nothing is taken for granted.
Van Nistelrooy was a title rival of Slot during their Eredivisie days so it was no surprise he arrived on Merseyside with a gameplan to try to put the brakes on the juggernaut. The conditions offered an assist, too. It is not easy to start in fifth gear in thick fog.
Van Nistelrooy demonstrated his ruthless and pragmatic side to make it more complicated.
Ex-Liverpool keeper Danny Ward did not even make the bench after being made scapegoat for the 3-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. That brought in Pole Jakub Stolarczyk for his Premier League debut. He justified the selection although he knew within two minutes he would be the busiest player, an early double save denying Salah and Jones.
Conor Coady and Jannik Vestergaard led the retreat into the six-yard box, Leicester’s defending a curious combination of the choreographed, courageous and yet slightly unconvincing as ricochets and deflections dropped in their favour. Andrew Robertson headed against the post and Salah struck the crossbar.
And yet there was an attacking method too as Ayew turned and beat Alisson.
“We’re winning away,” was the chant from the away end, underlining their state of disbelief.
It did not last. Gakpo completed his signature move in first-half injury-time, cutting in from the left to pick out the top corner with his right foot.
The slow-mo of Cody Gakpo's strike... 😍#PLonPrime #LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/SoFLRyIBrZ
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 26, 2024
Jones tapped in Alexis Mac Allister’s cross four minutes into the second half, and although Patson Daka miskicked in front of Alisson when an equaliser beckoned, a Liverpool third felt inevitable.
For the first time in the game, @LFC are ahead!
The league leaders are in front thanks to Curtis Jones' first-time effort 🔴🙌#PLonPrime #LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/HE5C8FDvVK— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 26, 2024
Salah obliged to ensure Van Nistelrooy’s dreams of the shock result of the season were a distant memory.
Slot was being compared to Bob Paisley when he replaced a Kop managerial legend last summer. He may eclipse the unassuming one because Paisley never won the league title in his first season after replacing Bill Shankly.
Should Liverpool continue on their current path, it will be Joe Fagan and Sir Kenny Dalglish whose names will be casually dropped alongside that of their Dutch coach, the duo collecting their first title in 1984 and 1986.
Slot is the first to remind the world that he is not yet halfway to his target.
“Of course we look at the table but we also know how hard this league is,” said Slot. “Two months ago we were one point behind Manchester City. What this league can do if you get injuries and suspensions can happen to any team.
“It is far too early to be celebrating. You have been at all these games and I don’t think there was an easy win. That tells you how difficult it is to win if all of your players are available. We have to stay on top of our game.”
If Liverpool do, they are going to take some stopping.
10:12 PM GMT
Mo Salah’s reaction
It’s a good result. They were very good and made it quite hard for us in the first half especially. [Cody Gakpo] scored a great goal just before half-time which gave us the confidence to win the game.
[On scoring his 100th home goal in the Premier League, 98 for Liverpool and two for Chelsea] It’s something I’m very proud of. I’ll keep working hard and hopefully I can go a bit further.
[On his form] The most important thing for me is the team. Hopefully we can win the Premier League and I can have a big impact; that’s great for me.
We need to stay humble. Hopefully we don’t get too many injuries and we can win it. I really want to win the Premier League this year.
10:08 PM GMT
The top of the Premier League table
Liverpool P17 Pts 42
Chelsea P18 Pts 35
Nottm Forest P18 Pts 34
Arsenal P17 Pts 33
Newcastle P18 Pts 29
09:58 PM GMT
FT: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
Liverpool move seven points clear at the top, and nine ahead of their main challengers Arsenal, with an impressive comeback at Anfield. Jordan Ayew’s early goal made the first half a bit of a struggle for Liverpool, but they held their nerve and were rewarded with goals either side of half-time from Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones. Mo Salah finished things off with his obligatory goal.
09:54 PM GMT
90+5 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
Leicester substitution Caleb Okoli on for Conor Coady.
09:53 PM GMT
90+4 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
The third goal has allowed Liverpool to relax and pass te ball around with a bit of a swagger. In hindsight, Leicester did well to keep the game alive for as long as they did.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024
09:50 PM GMT
90+2 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
Liverpool substitution Alexis Mac Allister gives way to Harvey Elliott.
09:49 PM GMT
90+1 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
All those VAR checks mean there will be nine minutes of added time.
09:46 PM GMT
87 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1
Substitutions galore Liverpool bring on Wataru Endo and Kostas Tsimikas for Ryan Gravenberch and Andy Robertson. Leicester replace Stephy Mavididi with Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
09:42 PM GMT
Goal!
83 min: Liverpool 3 Leicester 1 (Salah) That’ll do. Mo Salah cuts inside from the right, uses Kristiansen as a screen and guides a lovely curling shot into the far corner. That’s such a classy goal, one that puts Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.
09:39 PM GMT
80 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
The substitute Szoboszlai is booked, which means he’ll miss the trip to West Ham on Sunday.
09:38 PM GMT
79 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Salah is put through on the right side of the area and pokes a shot too close to Stolarczyk, who holds on. In the circumstances he’s had a really impressive Premier League debut.
09:36 PM GMT
78 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Double substitution for Liverpool Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai replace Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones.
09:36 PM GMT
76 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Aside from that one moment when Daka should have equalised, Liverpool have controlled the second half superbly. I can barely remember Leicester crossing the halfway line.
09:31 PM GMT
72 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
No goal! A deep cross from the left was volleyed back across goal by Salah towards the offside Nunez. I’m not sure whether he touched the ball, but he moved towards it so that’s enough for him to be considered active. It was then half cleared to Gakpo, who rammed it into the net.
#LIVLEI – 68'
The referee's call of no goal was checked and confirmed by the VAR as Nunez was in an offside position in the build-up. pic.twitter.com/NQd7ztiiCa— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) December 26, 2024
09:27 PM GMT
68 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Disallowed goal! Gakpo smashes a loose ball through a defender on the line, but the offside flag goes up against Salah in the build-up. This is pretty close - I think it might be onside.
09:26 PM GMT
67 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Robertson’s fierce cross is palmed away by Stolarczyk with Nunez waiting behind him for some hot open-goal action. Liverpool are well on top, though that Daka chance is a reminder that the game isn’t won yet.
09:23 PM GMT
64 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Double substitution for Leicester Oliver Skipp and Facundo Buonanotte replace Harry Winks and Bilal El Khannouss.
09:22 PM GMT
62 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
A lovely counter-attack from Liverpool. Robertson pings a long pass out to Salah on the right. He feeds it into the area for Nunez, whose fierce first-time shot is well saved at the near post by Stolarczyk.
09:20 PM GMT
61 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Chance for Daka! Out of nothing, Leicester create a terrific opportunity to equalise. Mavididi collected a crossfield pass on the left and crossed early towards Daka, who made a good run to lose his man but then miskicked horribly eight yards from goal.
09:17 PM GMT
58 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
The surging Gakpo is brazenly taken out by Vestergaard, who accepts his booking without complaint. Robertson was also booked, possibly for asking for a yellow card.
09:14 PM GMT
55 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Even at 2-1 it feels like a long way back for Leicester, who aren’t carrying the same threat on the counter-attack that they did for much of the first half.
09:11 PM GMT
52 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1
Goal given! It took a while to check the various phases of play but the goal stands. Jones took it well, adjusting his feet in a split-second to cushion a volley past Stolarczyk.
09:09 PM GMT
Goal!
49 min: Liverpool 2 Leicester 1 (Jones) Bang bang! Liverpool have scored either side of half-time to take the lead. Leicester couldn’t get out following the corner and were eventually made to pay. Salah played in the overlapping Mac Allister, whose fast cross was finished deftly from close range by Jones.
There’s a VAR check for offside.
09:07 PM GMT
49 min: Liverpool 1 Leicester 1
A half-cleared corner is met by Alexander-Arnold, whose left-footed drive deflects behind for another corner. Robertson takes, it’s headed clear.
09:05 PM GMT
46 min: Liverpool 1 Leicester 1
Back under way at Anfield.
09:04 PM GMT
Time for DJ?
Leicester will take a small consolation the equaliser was on the stroke of half-time because they’d have been hanging on to get in level. Not for the first time this season, Slot will be looking for tactical tweaks at half-time. One suspects two answers to his problems breaking down Leicester’s defence will be Diaz and Jota.
08:49 PM GMT
HT: Liverpool 1 Leicester 1
Lively stuff at Anfield. Jordan Ayew poked the bear by giving Leicester an early lead, and they almost made it to half-time unscathed. Almost: Cody Gakpo curled a superb equaliser in added time, and you’d expect Liverpool to do the necessary from here.
08:47 PM GMT
Goal!
45+1 min: Liverpool 1 Leicester 1 (Gakpo) Cody Gakpo equalises with a beauty. He cut inside from the left, moved away from Justin and whipped a spectacular curling shot into the far corner. Stolarczyk had no chance.
08:46 PM GMT
45 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Salah hits the bar! Liverpool almost equalise on the break. The first attack was thwarted but Alexander-Arnold reversed a clever pass to Salah on the right side of the area. He took a touch and hit a trademark curler across goal that beat Stolarczyk and clattered off the bar.
08:45 PM GMT
44 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Robertson’s overhit free-kick goes straight out of play. Liverpool haven’t been great in the last six or seven minutes.
08:42 PM GMT
40 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
For once, Alexander-Arnold’s right foot lets him down when he smashes a long-range shot towards air traffic control.
08:37 PM GMT
37 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Gomez trips Daka and is booked, although he’s not impressed with either the free-kick or the yellow card.
08:37 PM GMT
36 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Jones’ deep cross is headed dangerously back across goal by Nunez and volleyed away by the off balance El Khannouss. Excellent defending. But it does feel like a goal is coming.
08:32 PM GMT
32 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Gakpo clips another dangerous cross towards Salah beyond the far post. The angle is very tight and Salah can’t control a flicked volley with the outside of his left foot; it flies back across goal and is eventually put behind for a corner.
08:31 PM GMT
30 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
It’s so far, so good for van Nistelrooy’s strategy here… but the Leicester players still look like they’re learning on the job when it comes to a rearguard action. The pressure is intensifying.
08:30 PM GMT
28 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
This is Liverpool’s best spell of the game, so Leicester will be grateful for a break in play when Daka is caught by Van Dijk.
I didn’t realise, by the way, that Ayew’s shot took a slight but important deflection off Van Dijk before beating Alisson. It’s still Ayew’s goal as the original shot was on target.
08:26 PM GMT
25 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Robertson hits the post! Alexander-Arnold’s corner from the left is cleared back out to him. He clips a cross towards Robertson’s, whose looping header across goal hits the inside of the post and is smuggled away by Stolarczyk.
08:25 PM GMT
24 min: LIverpool 0 Leicester 1
Salah pokes a right-foot shot from the edge of the area that deflects off Kristiansen and loops onto the roof of the net. Stolarczyk looked nervously over his shoulder as the ball dropped towards goal.
08:24 PM GMT
23 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Chance for Liverpool! Robertson curls a stunning pass over the top to Gakpo, who controls it well on the stretch but then gets in a tangle and misses his attempted shot.
Actually, replays show Gakpo was offside so it wouldn’t have counted anyway. Moments later he wallops not far over the top from the edge of the area.
08:21 PM GMT
21 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
A real chance for Leicester on the break. Mavididi has a relatively simple through pass to Daka but overhits it fractionally and the ball runs through to Alisson.
08:20 PM GMT
19 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
The fog is getting worse again, so much so that at times it’s hard to make out what’s going on. Leicester are definitely 1-0 up, though, and playing pretty well.
08:16 PM GMT
16 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Liverpool try something funky at a corner, with nobody in the six-yard box and five players beyond the far post. They all surge into the six-yard box as Alexander-Arnold prepares to take the kick, but nothing comes of it on this occasion.
08:14 PM GMT
13 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Robertson’s cross is headed across goal and wide by Nunez, who wasn’t able to get over the ball.
08:11 PM GMT
11 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
Leicester started off deeper than a Friedrich Nietzsche philosophy lecture. On first impression their defenders did not look entirely comfortable after escaping the early Salah chance. But Jordan Ayew’s goal will give them plenty to fight for now. Liverpool continue to start slowly at Anfield for some reason.
08:10 PM GMT
10 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1
James Justin is first to Ayew’s corner but his flicked header is blocked. In fact replays show it hit the outstretched hand of Gakpo, but he was barely a yard away from Justin so there’s no suggestion of a penalty.
08:06 PM GMT
Goal!
6 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 1 (Ayew) Erm, that wasn’t in the script. Mavididi breaks down the left and drags a low cross towards Ayew at the near post. He resists the challenge of Robertson, turns on a sixpence and reverses a precise shot past Alisson. Blimey.
08:06 PM GMT
4 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 0
Good save by Stolarczyk! They’ve tested him now. Gakpo’s deep, driven cross is volleyed towards goal by Salah and blocked at the near post by Stolarczyk. The ball runs loose to Jones, who has it taken off his toes by the scrambling Stolarczyk. He’ll feel a whole lot beter after that.
08:03 PM GMT
2 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 0
The fog has cleared slightly, according to the Amazon commentator Jon Champion, though it is still pretty heavy. Liverpool have started on the front foot, as you’d expect, though they’re yet to test Leicester’s debutant goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.
08:01 PM GMT
1 min: Liverpool 0 Leicester 0
Liverpool kick off from left to right as we watch.
07:51 PM GMT
Ten minutes to kick off
Let’s have a quick reminder of the teams.
Liverpool (4-1-2-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch; Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.
Leicester (4-2-3-1) Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Soumare; Ayew, El Khannous, Mavididi; Daka.
Subs: Iversen, Okoli, De Cordova-Reid, Choudhury, Skipp, Edouard, Thomas, Alves, Buonanotte.
Referee Darren Bond (Lancashire)
07:50 PM GMT
A big night for Liverpool’s agent of chaos
🇺🇾💫 pic.twitter.com/xcyCYFvVp6
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024
07:41 PM GMT
No Anfield return for Danny Ward
In a different era - and if his profile was worthy of it - Leicester keeper Danny Ward’s face would be in every newspaper alongside the brutal headline: AXED.
Ex-Liverpool keeper Ward does not even make the bench after being made the scapegoat for the 3-0 defeat to Wolves last weekend. Ruud van Nistelrooy is showing his ruthless side.
Leicester hoped the relegation fight would be transformed by a new manager bounce. It has, but unfortunately for them it looks like Wolves’ Vitor Pereira is having more impact than their new Dutch appointment.
Leicester arrive at Anfield under severe pressure given Wolves win over Manchester United, the bottom three giving the impression the most recently promoted clubs are going back where they came from for a second successive season. Unless United get dragged into the relegation fight, of course…
07:39 PM GMT
Liverpool aim to go seven points clear
Playing after your rival can sometimes feel like a disadvantage in the title race… but not when your closest challengers lose at home. The enthusiasm for this evening’s match in Anfield’s hostelries will have become greater after Chelsea’s late collapse to Fulham. Liverpool have an opportunity to extend their lead to seven points with a game in hand. Worryingly for everyone else, Arne Slot’s squad is stronger now than at any point this season, his bench this evening full of first-teamers.
07:29 PM GMT
No danger of postponement despite heavy fog
Such is the heavy fog at Anfield, Liverpool issued a statement earlier today reassuring spectators (and presumably Prime TV subscribers) the game was in no danger of postponement. It remains hazy, however, putting older supporters in mind of a famous Anfield match in the 1978 Super Cup Final against Anderlecht. Liverpool were victorious but visibility did not stretch from one goal to the other, prompting the Kop to sing, ‘What’s the score?’ to the opposite side of the stadium. The mist does not look so bad this evening, thankfully.
07:23 PM GMT
Van Nistelrooy on the challenge of facing Liverpool at Anfield
It’s clear who the dominant force are in this game.
I know how Arne wants to make his teams play. He’s got it right straight away. They are the dominant force also in the Champions League. The streak is remarkable.
We have to be very compact, we have to be ready to know what we’re facing. We have to be ready to play, too. It will be a great task but it’s a great chance to develop in all areas in the game, and that will help us towards the finish line.
07:14 PM GMT
This is not Slot’s first meeting with former PSV manager Van Nistelrooy
“I was expecting you to tell the people over here that I lost once and drew once, but you made it positive saying we won the league title, which was true,” said Slot when his title win was highlighted.
“Cody Gakpo was in his team, so I am happy he is in my team now when we face Ruud because Cody scored (in a 4-3 victory).
“Ruud is a very nice person first of all. I met him once or twice and he did really well when he was at PSV because PSV for the last one-and-a-half years they have been on top of the league table.
“But if you look at the second half of Ruud’s season, they didn’t even lose any more at all.
“After he left they started buying a few more players than they did when he was working there but he still showed he can compete for the title.
“He did well at United as well and I am looking forward to seeing him, especially if we win.”
06:56 PM GMT
Leicester team and subs: Coady starts at Anfield, no Vardy in squad
Our Anfield XI 🖇️#LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/FDDa4VcMVK
— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 26, 2024
06:55 PM GMT
Liverpool team and subs: Jones preferred to Szoboszlai in midfield
How we line up to face Leicester City 👊🔴 #LIVLEI
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024
04:37 PM GMT
Think the title is Liverpool’s to lose? Think again…
By Chris Bascombe
Liverpool’s coach has not just answered every question put to him since replacing Klopp, he has delivered impressive responses worthy of a PhD graduate. There is no reason to assume the Dutch coach will change his demeanour or approach when the pressure cranks up. He has also been in this situation before as a title winner with Feyenoord.
Nevertheless, leading a club of Liverpool’s stature in the final weeks of a title race when excitement reaches fever pitch and hysteria kicks in as the finishing line comes into view will be a different experience. Klopp never had the chance to win the league in front of a full Anfield. Barring a series of unfortunate events – mainly injuries – Liverpool are sure to be in contention for the rest of this season. How the players and their coach handle the expectation of being title favourites will help determine if the Christmas No 1 is still top in May.
04:34 PM GMT
Good evening
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, minute-by-minute coverage of Liverpool v Leicester at Anfield. Fans of title-challenging teams love a precedent, and Liverpool have a belter to call on: on Boxing Day 2019, they smashed a very good Leicester side 4-0 at the King Power Stadium to move closer to a first league title since 1990.
They are odds-on favourites to win their 20th title after an increasingly spectacular start under Arne Slot. Their most recent performance, the 6-3 win at Spurs on Sunday, was their best yet, and a win tonight would move them xx points clear with a game in hand.
Slot will again come up against Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was PSV Eindhoven manager when Slot’s Feyenoord won the Eredivisie title in 2022-23.
“I was expecting you to tell the people over here that I lost once and drew once, but you made it positive saying we won the league title, which was true,” said Slot. “Cody Gakpo was in his team, so I am happy he is in my team now when we face Ruud because Cody scored.
“Ruud is a very nice person first of all. I met him once or twice and he did really well when he was at PSV because PSV for the last one-and-a-half years they have been on top of the league table. But if you look at the second half of Ruud’s season, they didn’t even lose any more at all.
“After he left they started buying a few more players than they did when he was working there but he still showed he can compete for the title. He did well at United as well and I am looking forward to seeing him, especially if we win.”
On current form, you’d be a maverick to bet against it.
Kick off 8pm.
The highlights from a special Boxing Day win in 2019 🎬🔴 pic.twitter.com/dxHZ04r30h
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024
