Liverpool vs Leicester LIVE!

Liverpool moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as they came from behind to beat Leicester 3-1 at Anfield.

The Reds made a sluggish start as Jordan Ayew gave Leicester a shock lead inside six minutes, swivelling and finishing well beyond Alisson after good work from Stephy Mavididi. It was a lead the Foxes held until first-half stoppage-time, when Cody Gakpo was allowed to drift onto his right foot and curl in a brilliant finish from just outside the area.

That felt like a significant body blow and so it proved, as Liverpool stepped it up after the break. They led within five minutes of the restart, as Alexis Mac Allister’s cut-back was turned in by Curtis Jones from close range. a goal that was confirmed after a lengthy VAR review. An even more painfully long check denied Gakpo his second, with Darwin Nunez offside in the build-up, but the result was effectively put to bed when Mohamed Salah scored in trademark fashion, finding the far corner with the left-footed strike.

Liverpool vs Leicester latest news

• GOAL! Salah puts result beyond doubt

• GOAL! Jones scores as Liverpool come from behind

• GOAL! Gakpo levels before half-time

• GOAL! Ayew gives Leicester shock lead

FT: Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:58 , Matt Verri

Job done for Liverpool!

They are seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, they really are in control of this title race.

Leicester impressed in the first-half, but that equaliser before the break really hurt them.

Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:56 , Matt Verri

90+7 mins: Leicester have finally started to work out Gakpo might want to cut inside off the left wing.

Can only foul him, though. Feels a bit cruel playing these nine minutes of added-time.

Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:52 , Matt Verri

90+3 mins: Salah just overhits the pass to Jota, which allows Vestergaard to get across and poke it behind for a corner.

Liverpool don’t look like they’re happy to settle for 3-1...

Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:49 , Matt Verri

90 mins: Nine minutes added on.

Leicester players look absolutely delighted with that.

Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:47 , Matt Verri

88 mins: Robertson and Gravenberch the two to make way, they’ll get an extra few minutes of rest.

Leicester look more than ready for the final whistle now. Gave a lot in the first-half, but Liverpool have stepped it up since the break.

Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

21:43 , Matt Verri

84 mins: Slot will turn to his bench again, with the job pretty much now done.

Endo and Tsimikas getting ready to come on.

GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Leicester | Mohamed Salah 83'

21:41 , Matt Verri

GAME OVER!

That’ll do it for Liverpool. Salah in that channel on the right wing, skips into the box and onto his left foot... you know what’s happening from there.

Curled into the bottom corner, lovely finish.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:38 , Matt Verri

79 mins: Szoboszlai has been on for a matter of seconds and he’s already into the book. Yellow card for stopping the counter.

He’s now suspended for Liverpool’s next match, away at West Ham.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:36 , Matt Verri

77 mins: First Liverpool changes of the night.

Szoboszlai is on to replace Jones, while Nunez makes way as Jota is introduced.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:33 , Matt Verri

75 mins: Alexander-Arnold shanks a shot wide under pressure. He’s convinced it should be a corner, officials say goal-kick.

Leicester are having half a go at playing out from the back. I’d suggest they might want to bin off that half. Coady nearly bobbles a pass into his own net, goalkeeper just about slices it away.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:29

This is taking an absurd amount of time.

After all that, it turns out Nunez’s shoulder was offside, so the goal won’t be given.

On we go. Still 2-1.

21:27 , Matt Verri

VAR officials have been in no rush at all today. Taking their sweet, sweet time.

Salah is onside, so we now move on to the next check. Was Nunez offside when he flicked on Salah’s cross?

Pretty sure he’s on. This goal looks like it will be given.

GOO... OFFSIDE!

21:26 , Matt Verri

Gakpo lashes a finish into the back of the net, but the offside flag is swiftly raised.

Salah was maybe off in the build-up, as the ball was clipped out to him. Very tight though.

VAR looking...

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:24 , Matt Verri

66 mins: Pace of the match has slowed a bit, Liverpool content to just keep the ball at the back.

Leicester not exactly flying forward to try and win it back.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:20 , Matt Verri

62 mins: Nearly a glorious Liverpool goal.

Pinged out to Salah, sensational first touch and he then slides a perfect pass through to Nunez.

His first-time finish is kept out well at the near post.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:18 , Matt Verri

60 mins: Mac Allister picks out Salah in the box, for once he can’t keep the ball under his spell and the chance goes.

Leicester break up the other end, Mavididi puts another great ball into the box.

Real chance for Daka, but he swings at thin air!

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:16 , Matt Verri

58 mins: Vestergaard very quickly loses interest in a foot race with Gakpo, just shoves him to the ground. Yellow card.

Would have to say Gakpo has probably been Liverpool’s best play tonight.

Robertson also booked, for asking for the yellow card which was coming anyway. Good effort.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:12 , Matt Verri

54 mins: Leicester not having much fun now. It’s wave after wave of Liverpool attacks.

Salah swings the cross in, Nunez and Mac Allister both very nearly get on the end of it.

Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

21:09 , Matt Verri

VAR having a long look at this. Potential offside somewhere in the move.

Salah might have been off in the build-up, not sure why it’s taking this long to get the dreaded lines out.

Eventually they do so... onside. Goal stands.

GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Leicester | Curtis Jones 49'

21:08 , Matt Verri

Well that felt inevitable!

Leicester couldn’t get out and Liverpool make it count, taking the lead for the first time.

Salah slides in Mac Allister, who picks out Jones and the finish is a good one from close range.

Liverpool 1-1 Leicester

21:06 , Matt Verri

48 mins: Not sure Leicester need to be playing around in their own box. Just gifted Liverpool a corner, as the pass is fired back to the goalkeeper.

Comes out to Alexander-Arnold, his shot deflected behind for another corner.

Looks like the right-back has been taken off the corners for now. Going to stay on the edge of the area.

Robertson swings the latest one in, Leicester deal with it.

Liverpool 1-1 Leicester

21:05 , Matt Verri

47 mins: Sharp start to the half from Liverpool.

Gravenberch gets in behind the Leicester defence, cuts it back for Nunez... fires the shot over the bar under pressure from Coady.

Back underway!

21:03 , Matt Verri

Up and running in the second-half.

21:00 , Matt Verri

Ten shots for Liverpool, only two of those on target.

Been so many crosses from the hosts, which has suited Leicester just fine.

Have to think there will be a shift in tactics from Slot in the second-half.

Just what Liverpool needed...

20:50 , Matt Verri

A real body blow for Leicester in the final minute of the half.

HT: Liverpool 1-1 Leicester

20:48 , Matt Verri

Liverpool look rampant as play restarts, Leicester thrilled as the half-time whistle comes.

The hosts frustrated for much of the half, but you imagine they’ll be feeling pretty confident now they have levelled it up.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Leicester | Cody Gakpo 45+1'

20:46 , Matt Verri

Leicester don’t make it to half-time!

They were a minute away... but Liverpool have got themselves level.

Gakpo skips inside again, takes a second and then whips a brilliant finish into the far corner. Perfect strike.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:45 , Matt Verri

45 mins: Off the bar!

Salah inches away from levelling it up just before the break.

All came from Winks losing the ball in midfield, suddenly there was space for Liverpool.

Alexander-Arnold picks out Salah, who curls an effort towards the far corner but it thuds off the woodwork.

Two minutes added on.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:43 , Matt Verri

43 mins: He’s got a goal and now he’s got a yellow card.

Gakpo drives inside, Ayew gets across him and the Leicester forward earns himself a yellow card for that. Looked fairly harsh.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:41

41 mins: Cross after cross after cross from Liverpool at the moment. Coady and Vestergaard, for now, up to the task.

Alexander-Arnold decides to go by himself this time, but the shot from 25 yards out is sent halfway up the Kop.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:39 , Matt Verri

39 mins: Alexander-Arnold with the latest cross, Nunez can’t quite keep it in as he loops a header into the six-yard box.

Ayew limps his way back onto the pitch, only to then fall to the ground. You can imagine what the Kop thinks of that.

Slot having a lengthy discussion with the fourth official.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:36 , Matt Verri

36 mins: Take eight, on the corner front.

Taken short this time, eventually worked back out to Alexander-Arnold. He dinks it into the middle, Gomez wins the first header but Coady is there to mop up.

Leicester break, and Gomez is shown a yellow card as he trips Daka.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:35 , Matt Verri

35 mins: Here we go again. Alexander-Arnold whips the cross to the back post, Robertson’s ball back into the middle is turned behind.

It’s the seventh corner Liverpool have had already tonight.

Vestergaard there this time to clear. Leicester with a huge ten minutes ahead as half-time approaches.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:32 , Matt Verri

32 mins: That Gakpo cross to the back post is causing Leicester real problems. Salah free again, can’t direct the finish but it’s another corner for Liverpool.

For the third time tonight, Alexander-Arnold hammers it straight at the first man.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:29 , Matt Verri

29 mins: Leicester now at the stage where they are just booting the ball as far up the pitch as possible.

It’s going to be a long, long, long hour for them...

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:27 , Matt Verri

27 mins: Daka has been lying on the ground for about a minute, Liverpool have no interest in kicking it out.

Eventually the referee has enough and decides to bring a halt to proceedings. Daka got caught on the top of his foot, probably a foul.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:25 , Matt Verri

25 mins: Pressure is building now. Salah’s shot takes a big deflection, loops just wide. Another corner.

But, for once, it’s woeful from Alexander-Arnold. Barely reaches the first man.

Much better when it comes back to him, Roberton flicks a header at goal. Off the post, off the goalkeeper and behind!

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:23 , Matt Verri

23 mins: Robertson pings a wonderful ball over the top to Gakpo, who looks to be offside.

First touch brings the ball down... there isn’t a second one. Gets the ball stuck under his feet and the chance goes. Don’t think it would have counted anyway.

Gakpo does get a shot away about a minute later, lashed high and wide from the edge of the area.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:20 , Matt Verri

20 mins: Chance for Leicester!

Mavididi in space on the edge of the box, Daka is completely free in the middle but the pass is overhit and Alisson can claim.

Liverpool looking fairly shaky when Leicester do break.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:18 , Matt Verri

18 mins: Very difficult to see what’s going on over on the far side of the pitch, with all this fog.

Ball suddenly emerges from the gloom after a Robertson cross, Leicester again deal with it.

Vestergaard and Coady will back themselves if Liverpool keep just swinging balls in.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:16 , Matt Verri

16 mins: Same set up for Liverpool.

Alexander-Arnold’s delivery doesn’t beat Daka at the near post, and now Leicester can break.

Mavididi, though, has his progress halted by Mac Allister.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:15 , Matt Verri

15 mins: Alexander-Arnold with a brilliant ball to the back post, Mac Allister and Gakpo both there waiting for it... superb from Justin to flick the header away. Corner.

It will be Alexander-Arnold to take this too in front of the Kop. Liverpool following Arsenal’s lead, everyone camped at the back post except for Van Dijk, who will attack it in the middle.

Bounces around at the near post, bit of a mess. Behind for another one.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:12 , Matt Verri

12 mins: More like it from Liverpool.

Robertson clips in a really good cross, Nunez gets across Coady but the flicked header bounces wide of the far post.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:10 , Matt Verri

10 mins: Leicester win a corner now in front of the away fans, who are making plenty of noise.

Ayew takes, Justin wins the header at the near post but it’s charged down.

Comes to the edge of the box, shot sliced wide. Leicester can be delighted with the opening ten minutes.

Liverpool 0-1 Leicester

20:09 , Matt Verri

9 mins: A long way to go, to put it mildly, but that has shaken things up a bit.

And Leicester are nearly in again, Mavididi with the run in behind Alexander-Arnold but his first touch lets him down.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Leicester | Jordan Ayew 6'

20:06 , Matt Verri

LEICESTER IN FRONT!

WOW.

Lovely move down the right, Mavididi with the low cross and it’s brilliant from Ayew. Takes it with his back to goal, swivels and finds the bottom corner.

Liverpool 0-0 Leicester

20:04 , Matt Verri

4 mins: Should be 1-0!

Gakpo whips a cross to the back post, Salah’s effort from a tight angle is smothered.

Rebound falls for Jones, he looks certain to score with Stolarczyk on the floor but he takes too long to get a shot away.

Liverpool 0-0 Leicester

20:02 , Matt Verri

2 mins: You will not be stunned to hear that Leicester have camped themselves on the edge of their own box already.

The Foxes not seeing much of the Liverpool half would be a fairly safe early predicted.

KICK-OFF!

20:00 , Matt Verri

We’re up and running!

Here we go!

19:55 , Matt Verri

Teams are in the tunnel, kick-off just a few minutes away.

Home fans are already right up for this - Leicester have to somehow get through the first 15 minutes or so unscathed, or this could get really ugly.

Not long now!

19:45 , Matt Verri

Big roar from the Anfield crowd as the Liverpool players make their way back inside, warm-ups are done.

Fog has slightly lifted, visibility still not great but it’s good enough for the match to go ahead.

Sure Leicester are thrilled.

Van Dijk: I love Liverpool

19:35 , Matt Verri

Virgil van Dijk has done a long interview with Amazon Prime ahead of this match.

As speculation goes on over his future, he sums up his relationship with Liverpool.

“I love the club, the club loves me,” Van Dijk says.

“I love the fans, the fans love me. It’s a very good foundation to be successful.”

Elsewhere...

19:26 , Matt Verri

Wolves have just beaten Manchester United 2-0 at Molineux.

That has dropped Leicester into the relegation zone - need a win at Anfield to move back out of it.

Ruben Amorim’s side, meanwhile, are 14th!

Big chance for Liverpool

19:16 , Matt Verri

Fulham beat Chelsea earlier today, so Liverpool have the chance to go seven points clear of Enzo Maresca’s side this evening.

Arsenal not in action until tomorrow evening, when they host Ipswich, but even they would only be able to cut the gap to six points, having played a game more.

Liverpool in control of this title race as the halfway mark approaches.

Slot talks up Van Nistelrooy

19:06 , Matt Verri

Arne Slot was full of praise for Van Nistelrooy in his pre-match press conference, with the Liverpool boss having come up against the former Man United striker in the Netherlands.

Slot said: “I think he did really well when he was at PSV because 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 I think they didn’t even lose anymore, at all.

“So it wasn’t a surprise that after he left and they bought so many players – because PSV started buying a few more players than they did when he was working there, because when he was there Cody Gakpo and [Noni] Madueke were sold.

“But he still showed that he could compete for the title. Nice person, good manager, did well at [Manchester] United as well. Looking forward to seeing him, especially if we win!”

Damage limitation for Leicester?

18:58 , Matt Verri

3-0 defeat to Wolves. 4-0 defeat to Newcastle. 14 goals conceded in five matches.

Fair to say Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester side are not exactly full of confidence heading into tonight’s clash.

Now they face the best side in England, and probably Europe right now. Best of luck.

Nunez and Jones start

18:50 , Matt Verri

So Darwin Nunez does indeed start for Liverpool.

Curtis Jones also gets the nod, as Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai have to settle for places on the bench.

Very strong lineup - Arne Slot has opted against significant rotation.

Leicester team news

18:47 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Winks, Soumare, Mavididi, El Khannouss, Ayew, Daka

Subs: Iversen, Okoli, Thomas, Choudhury, Skipp, Alves, Buonanotte, De Cordova-Reid, Edouard

Liverpool team news

18:46 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

Subs: Kelleher, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Szoboszlai, Elliott, Chiesa, Diaz, Jota

Stand by...

18:39 , Matt Verri

All the team news from Anfield coming up in the next five minutes or so.

Sounds like Darwin Nunez could be starting for Liverpool... not long to wait to find out!

Inside the stadium...

18:30 , Matt Verri

For those enjoying #FogWatch, you’re in luck.

Match officials have been out on the pitch having a look around, doesn’t seem to be any problems for now.

Liverpool youngsters to keep an eye on in 2025

18:23 , Matt Verri

Rio Ngumoha

The move that saw Ngumoha leave Chelsea’s academy in favour of Liverpool in the summer of 2024 was one of the biggest transfers at academy level in England this year.

Big things are expected of the 16-year-old forward. In the autumn, he started training with the senior team on occasion, and Arne Slot named him among the substitutes for the win over Southampton in the Carabao Cup this month.

When he left Chelsea, their former captain admitted the Blues had lost a “top, top player” — high praise indeed.

So ahead of the game has his progress been that Ngumoha was born in the second half of 2008.

Read the full piece here!

Stage is set!

18:16 , Matt Verri

Fans starting to arrive at Anfield, just over 90 minutes to go until we get underway.

After Chelsea’s defeat to Fulham earlier today, Liverpool have the chance to go seven points clear of the Blues... with a game in hand.

It’s all looking very good for Arne Slot’s side.

Foggy conditions...

18:09 , Matt Verri

There’s a lot of fog over Anfield this evening.

Has been some speculation that it could put the match in doubt, but as it stands kick-off is still scheduled for 8pm as expected.

Fans might not have a great view of what’s going on at the other end.

Standard Sport prediction

18:01 , Matt Verri

Everything points to an emphatic Liverpool win.

The Reds have been in prolific goal-scoring form and now come up against an incredibly leaky Leicester defence, which the likes of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will relish.

It will be a case of damage limitation for Leicester, but it could be another painful night.

Liverpool to win, 5-0.

Leicester team news

17:55 , Matt Verri

Leicester must be considering making change in goal, having been so poor at the back in the last couple of matches. Jakub Stolarczyk has returned to training and could replace Danny Ward.

Mads Hermansen (groin) will be assessed as will Jamie Vardy after he sustained some knocks in the loss against Wolves.

Liverpool team news

17:45 , Matt Verri

Liverpool are not believed to have suffered any fresh injury concerns in the nine-goal thriller at Spurs, so we can expect a similar team on Boxing Day at Anfield to take on a struggling Leicester side.

Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez all came off the bench against Tottenham and will be pushing to start against either Leicester or West Ham, while summer signing Federico Chiesa will also hope to play his first Premier League minutes since September.

Wataru Endo is another player who will be looking for a chance to impress, while Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas are options if Slot wants to rotate in defence.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Jota; Nunez

How to watch Liverpool vs Leicester

17:35 , Matt Verri

TV channel: The game will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8pm GMT kick-off.

Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Amazon Prime website or app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action right here with us!

Free highlights: In the UK, Match of the Day broadcasts on BBC One at 10:40pm GMT tonight

Good evening!

17:28 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Liverpool vs Leicester!

The Reds are in action at Anfield for the final time in 2024 and it is expected to be a comfortable night, when anything other than a comfortable home win would be a huge surprise.

We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8pm GMT from Anfield. Stick with us!