LIVERPOOL:
Curtis Jones fired Liverpool seven factors clear on the high of the Premier League because the title favourites survived a scare of their 3-1 win in opposition to struggling Leicester on Thursday.
Arne Slot’s aspect have been shocked by Jordan Ayew’s early strike at Anfield, however the leaders recovered their composure to equalise simply earlier than the interval by Cody Gakpo.
England midfielder Jones marked his a hundredth top-flight look with the second purpose quickly after half-time.
Mohamed Salah’s nineteenth purpose this time period wrapped up Liverpool’s eleventh win of their final 13 video games in all competitions.
Liverpool’s comeback lifted them nicely away from second-placed Chelsea, who have been crushed 2-1 by Fulham earlier within the day.
“As a result of we went 1-0 down it was a sport earlier than we made it 3-1 after which I believe you noticed how good we actually are,” Slot mentioned.
The rampant Reds, who maintain a sport in hand on Chelsea, have been crushed simply as soon as in 17 league matches this season.
They’ve received 22 of their 26 video games in all competitions in a exceptional run since Slot arrived from Feyenoord within the close-season to switch Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp led Liverpool to their final Premier League title in 2020 and Slot has them completely positioned to emulate that feat within the second half of the season.
“It is little bit of a boring reply, however as a supervisor you go sport by sport as a result of you understand how many you continue to must play,” Slot mentioned of Liverpool’s title bid.
“You see particularly within the Premier League outcomes that you just did not count on as a result of groups have a lot high quality.
“Possibly if it was the Eredivisie it could really feel like this however not on this competitors.”
Additionally by to the League Cup semi-finals and high of the Champions League, Liverpool, who journey to West Ham for his or her final match of the yr on Sunday, will go into 2025 in rivalry of an unprecedented quadruple.
Third-bottom Leicester are one level from security after a 3rd consecutive defeat.
Salah practically gave Liverpool the right begin as his close-range effort smacked the publish.
However on an evening when Anfield was surrounded by a murky mist, Liverpool’s defence was misplaced within the fog within the sixth minute.
Relentless strain
Stephy Mavididi surged away down the left wing and whipped in a low cross which Ayew managed adroitly earlier than spinning to smash a low shot previous Alisson Becker at his close to publish.
Liverpool’s defence was unusually lax within the early phases and Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss was left unmarked for a volley that whistled over.
However the tide quickly turned and Darwin Nunez met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross with a header that was deflected behind earlier than Salah’s chipped effort looped onto the roof of the online.
Andrew Robertson was inches away from equalising when the Liverpool defender’s header cannoned off the publish.
Slot’s males have been pouring ahead in waves and Salah’s roller ricocheted off the crossbar simply earlier than half-time.
Gakpo ensured Liverpool can be rewarded for his or her relentless strain on the stroke of half-time because the Dutch ahead stroked an outstanding strike into the highest nook from the sting of the realm.
Gakpo’s tenth purpose in all competitions this season was a well-known sight for Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who coached him throughout their time at PSV Eindhoven.
Leicester have not received at Anfield within the Premier League since 2000 and their hopes of a historic victory have been in tatters simply 4 minutes into the second half.
Sweeping into the Leicester space in a blur of tempo and motion, Salah and Alexis Mac Allister teed up Jones to fit residence from shut vary, with the purpose surviving a prolonged VAR test for a possible offside.
Salah put the ultimate flourish on Liverpool’s stirring fightback, slicing in from the precise flank to information a positive end into the far nook within the 82nd minute.