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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Leicester City v Liverpool, Premier League

The managerless champions hosted Jurgen Klopp’s men at the King Power Stadium this evening.

HAVING SACKED CLAUDIO Ranieri, the man who led the club to a barely-believable Premier League title last season, Leicester City begin life without the Italian at home to Liverpool tonight.

Assistant boss Craig Shakespeare takes charge on a caretaker basis while the search continues for Ranieri’s replacement.

With a game in-hand, the Foxes sit 18th in the table — level on points with Hull City and one behind Crystal Palace — while the Reds could move up to third with victory here.

Here’s how the team will line up. Leicester bring Shinji Okazaki in for  Ahmed Musa and Liverpool also make one change with Emre Can replacing the injured skipper Jordan Henderson.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Mahrez, Okazaki, Albrighton, Vardy.

 

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lucas, Milner, Lallana, Can, Wijnaldum, Mane, Firmino, Coutinho.

The teams are out on the pitch and we’ll get going in just a moment.

KICK-OFF – We’re underway. Both clubs are wearing their home colours — Leicester in all blue and Liverpool sporting their traditional all red strip.

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There’s a stoppage in play after just two minutes as Vardy catches Mane on the foot and the Senegalese winger needs treatment.

SAVE – A long-throw-in from Leicester is helped on by the head of Huth, and Mignolet dives to catch the goal-bound effort.

CHANCE – Mignolet has just been forced into another stop. Vardy volleys at goal from the edge of the box and it’s flicked on by Okazaki but the Belgium keeper gets across to keep it out.

A good move creates Liverpool’s first meaningful attack with Lallana and Mane involved. The latter attempts to find Matip in the box, but it’s cut out by a timely interception from Morgan.

That wasn’t far away. Huth climbs highest to meet a corner, only to direct it over the bar.

HUGE OPPORTUNITY! Superb from Vardy, who picks Schmeichel’s free-kick out of the sky with a brilliant first touch before volleying at Mignolet.

A large banner thanking Ranieri for his achievements. We’re unlikely to see anything like it again…

Leicester City v Liverpool - Premier League - King Power Stadium EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

GOAL! Leicester City 1-0 Liverpool (Jamie Vardy) 

The home side go in front! Albrighton provides a perfect through pass and Vardy scores the type of goal that became his trademark last season — running onto the ball and slotting past Mignolet.

That was Leicester’s first league goal of 2017 and they are the last club in England’s top four divisions to do so.

Leicester causing Liverpool more problems here. Vardy back-heels to Ndidi and his shot is saved by Mignolet. Makeshift centre-half Lucas having a difficult night so far.

GOAL! Leicester City 2-0 Liverpool (Danny Drinkwater) 

Incredible strike! The ball isn’t fully-cleared after a Leicester throw-in and Milner heads the ball out as far as Drinkwater, who blasts a first time effort home from 25 yards.

Ranieri will be watching on somewhere baffled as to why these players couldn’t perform like this for him.

The board is raised to show that two minutes of additional time will be played.

Half-time: Leicester City 2-0 Liverpool 

While praising Leicester’s display, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have been scathing of Liverpool’s first half performance, labelling it “shocking” and “woeful”.

SECOND HALF – And we’re back.

Vardy continues to give Lucas a torrid time. You do wonder why Klopp didn’t go out and invest in another centre-half with Sakho leaving for Crystal Palace in January.

Coutinho lets fly with a low drive from 25 yards but Schmeichel has it covered.

Mane tries his luck but the strike is deflected behind off Huth. Liverpool continue to enjoy the majority of the possession but they need to start making it count.

Down the other end, Okazaki helps on a Schmeichel kick-out. Vardy makes his run too early, however, and the flag goes up for offside.

GOAL! Leicester City 3-0 Liverpool (Jamie Vardy) 

Oh my. The Foxes score again, and it’s a really well-worked goal. Mahrez and Fuchs create some space for themselves down the left and the Austrian defender turns inside onto his right foot and crosses for Vardy.

The striker gets up above Can to head in a second of the night.

DOUBLE CHANGE – Klopp sends on Divock Origi and Alberton Moreno for Mane and Lallana.

GOAL! Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool (Philippe Coutinho)

The Reds have one back. Can does excellently going forward and tees up Coutinho, who slots into the bottom corner. Comeback on the cards?

OVER THE BAR – Mahrez gets into the box and is caught by Can, but still manages to pull the ball back to Drinkwater. He leans back and sends an effort high into the stand.

And that’s the last we’ll see of last year’s PFA Player of the Year as he has been taken off with Demarai Grey coming on.

Liverpool pushing for a second and Coutinho volleys at goal. It’s saved by Schmeichel but he spills the ball and it goes out for a corner.

Great run by Grey from inside his own half but he slips at the vital moment.

SUB – Ben Chilwell on for Albrighton as Leicester look to run down the clock now.

Full-time: Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool 

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