Mo Salah rounds off Liverpool’s recovery to sink Leicester and extend lead | Premier League

Liverpool have kicked off at 8pm on Boxing Day twice in their history. The first time was in 2019, when Jürgen Klopp’s side destroyed Leicester en route to winning the Premier League title with ease. The second time ended with another convincing defeat to the foxes. It may not be the only repetition.

Arne Slot’s towering leaders moved seven points clear of their nearest challengers for the title, with a game in hand thanks to a controlled comeback against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side. Leicester took a shock early lead through Jordan Ayew and while Liverpool never reached the heights of their 2019 performances at the King Power Stadium, goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah’s 19th of the season ensured the result remained the same.

Anfield was shrouded in fog for the night kickoff, but for Liverpool there was an opportunity to put daylight between themselves and Chelsea after a perfect set of results elsewhere on Boxing Day.

The league leaders’ prospects looked healthy against a Leicester side that had been soundly beaten in their previous two matches and had a Premier League debutant in goal. Jakub Stolarczyk replaced Danny Ward as a result of the merciless barrage the Wales goalkeeper received from his own supporters in Leicester’s 3-0 defeat at Wolves on Sunday.

“It’s not ideal,” Van Nistelrooy admitted before kick-off. “But the circumstances with Wardy were intense, we all felt it and it puts you in a position where you have to make decisions.”

The Leicester manager’s decision paid early dividends as Stolarczyk and his struggling visitors tormented Liverpool until first-half stoppage time. The Polish goalkeeper produced a fine double save to deny Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones from Liverpool’s first meaningful attack. Trent Alexander-Arnold switched play superbly for Gakpo on the left and his driven cross found Salah who arrived unmarked at the back post. Stolarczyk denied Liverpool’s leading goalscorer from close range before flicking the ball away from Jones’ toes as the midfielder tried to pounce on the rebound.

A temporary interruption took on greater significance two minutes later when Leicester took the lead via a clinical counter-attack. The impressive Bilal El Khannouss, a tireless and creative force, released Stephy Mavididi in space down the left. Mavididi’s low cross somehow found its way through Liverpool’s penalty area to the feet of Jordan Ayew, who easily turned Andy Robertson before finding the bottom corner of Alisson’s net.

Ayew’s shot took a slight deflection off the heel of Virgil van Dijk en route. Leicester’s large and wild traveling contingent couldn’t have cared less.

Watch the inevitable Liverpool reaction, albeit one marred by too many errant passes, careless touches and over-the-top deliveries. Mavididi could have had another assist after Victor Kristiansen intercepted a loose cross from Darwin Núñez. Patson Daka sprinted into a gaping hole in the center of Liverpool’s defence, but this time Mavididi misplaced his pass and Liverpool escaped.

Robertson almost teed up Gakpo with a magnificent ball over the Leicester rearguard, but the Netherlands international was flagged for offside. Salah saw a looping shot by Kristiansen and just over the crossbar after a poor clearance by Stolarczyk gave Robertson possession. From the resulting corner, Alexander-Arnold crossed at the second attempt and the Scotland captain steered a header against the post. The ball bounced back towards the Leicester keeper and rolled out.

Salah, after sending another inviting Gakpo delivery across goal, also hit the woodwork when Harry Winks lost the ball deep in the Liverpool half and the hosts countered sharply. The Egypt international cut inside onto his trusty left foot and curled a shot against the crossbar.

Frustration mounted, not least when only two minutes were added at the end of the first half. It turned out long enough. Receiving an Alexis Mac Allister pass on the corner of the penalty area, Gakpo swept past James Justin and curled an unstoppable shot inside Stolarczyk’s left post. It was the striker’s 10th goal of the season and lifted the tension, but not the fog.

Liverpool were immediately in control after the restart. Núñez shot over as Ryan Gravenberch pulled the ball back from the touchline. Mac Allister found himself in a similar position to his midfield partner after a fluid one-touch move involving Jones and Salah. The Argentina international fired low across the six-yard box and Jones was perfectly placed to convert. A long wait followed as VAR checked for a possible offside against Salah earlier in the build-up. There was another dull break in the game as VAR took an age to rule that Núñez was offside before Gakpo volleyed home what would have been Liverpool’s third.

Núñez could have made it three himself before Gakpo’s effort was deflected, but Stolarczyk made a fine reaction save from the striker’s first shot. Daka should at least have tested Alisson when Mavididi broke and delivered another accurate cross from the left. The Leicester striker got in front of his marker but stroked into thin air.

Salah banished any prospect of a Leicester fightback – a slim prospect admittedly – ​​with a brilliant trademark finish. Gakpo’s lofted pass found the striker in space on the right. Only Salah discovered the possibility of victory when he advanced on Kristiansen. After surveying the options, he swept an excellent shot between the Leicester left-back and Jannik Vestergaard into the far bottom corner. Salah and Liverpool look unstoppable.