Season’s Greetings and welcome to the second of our St Stephen’s Day Premier League liveblogs as Liverpool welcome high-flying Leicester City to Anfield.
Louis van Gaal’s job is currently hanging by a thread with Manchester United trailing at the Britannia Stadium but we’ll be focusing on proceedings from the 3pm kick-offs here.
Leicester, top of the pile at Christmas, can extend their advantage at the summit to five points if they can inflict a second straight defeat on Jurgen Klopp’s side.
This one has all the ingredients to be a cracker – we’ll have all the build-up between now and 3pm, plus the all-important team news.
Let’s get straight to the team news, shall we?
Klopp has restored Simon Mignolet to his starting XI, in place of Adam Bogdan, while Christian Benteke drops to the bench to make way for Belgian team-mate Divock Origi.
Leicester, meanwhile, are at full strength with Vardy and Mahrez both starting.
So Klopp has made a couple of changes from the side well beaten by Watford last time out. Mignolet returns after missing the defeat at Vicarage Road through injury while Dejan Lovren is back after his knee complaint.
Lucas Leiva will join Benteke on the bench, with Joe Allen also among the replacements.
Unsurprisingly, the Foxes haven’t tinkered with their winning formula as the visitors make just one change from their win at Goodison Park. Robert Huth is available again after serving a suspension and he slots in alongside captain Wes Morgan in defence.
Time running out for Man United at Stoke, where they trail 2-0. There’s a little over half an hour until kick-off on Merseyside.
United’s impending slip-up in the early game would mean victory for Liverpool today would move them within two points of their adversaries and within sight of the top four.
Or can Leicester’s remarkable run of form continue? The leaders are unbeaten in 10 of their last top-flight outings.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ryan@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
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Full-time at the Britannia Stadium and Man United have suffered yet another defeat, on this occasion going down 2-0 to Mark Hughes’ hugely impressive Stoke City.
But it’s time to turn our attention to proceedings at Anfield, where kick-off is fast approaching.
While we’re waiting, here’s a little Christmas trivia to whet your appetite.
Can you name the four players who have played for both Liverpool and Leicester City? Answers on a postcard (or email to ryan@the42.ie) and we’ll reveal the answer just before 3pm.
Both teams are out on the pitch and we’re all set.
Kick-off! Liverpool are defending the Kop in this first-half.
Scrappy start as both sides look to settle into the contest.
The answer to our earlier quiz question is: Pegguy Arphexad, Paul Konchesky, Emile Heskey and Stan Collymore.
Bright start for Leicester as they spring into life. Mahrez skips past Moreno and fires a low cross into the six-yard box. Liverpool just about deal with it but an early warning sign for the hosts.
As we’ve just seen, he’ll be a threat this afternoon.
The visitors have certainly started the better of the two and are looking to impose themselves on this contest. Leicester are looking to close Liverpool down as quickly as possible and not give their hosts any space.
Origi will hope to reward his manager today and he’s looked sharp in the opening exchanges. The Belgian striker peeled away from Wes Morgan but just as he pulled the trigger, the Leicester captain made the intervention.
From the resulting corner, Schmeichel flaps at the delivery and is fortunate no red shirt was behind him to take advantage and slot into the empty net.
Period of sustained pressure from Liverpool. A succession of set-pieces have Leicester on the backfoot but the delivery hasn’t quite been right.
Leicester do carry a potent threat on the break, however, and the visitors have penalty appeals waved away by Martin Atkinson.
Okazaki is felled by Sakho in the box and replays suggest the referee should have pointed to the spot. It was a clumsy and needless challenge from the Liverpool defender as he tackled off his feet and there was clear contact.
At the other end, Coutinho snatches at his effort and sends it well over the bar.
Close! Fuchs gives the ball away to Henderson in midfield and he instantly sets Lallana away down the right. The England international weighs up his options and opts to go for goal but his effort doesn’t trouble Schmeichel at the near post.
It’s been a frenetic, end-to-end start at Anfield. It remains scoreless but there’s been no shortage of drama.
Quick check on the other 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League. Manchester City have raced into an early 2-0 lead against Sunderland while Swansea have hit the front at home to West Brom.
The other four games, including Chelsea’s clash with Watford, remain level pegging.
Back at Anfield, Coutinho’s whipped cross has too much pace on it and Sakho can’t get solid contact as his header flies hide and wide.
Minutes later, Origi shows his pace and power to breeze past Morgan but he’s thwarted at the near post by the goalkeeper’s strong hand.
Origi has been heavily involved and he looks full of confidence. On this occasion, he charges down the right and shows good feet to skip inside Huth. But after manufacturing a yard of space for himself, his effort on goal his wild.
Meanwhile, Vardy gets his first sight of goal but the league’s leading scorer mistimes his jump and his header loops over the bar.
Liverpool have had a lot of set-pieces in the opening half an hour and Leicester don’t look all that comfortable in defending them. The latest one sees Henderson’s cross met by Lovren but the defender’s header lacks power.
Leicester are happy to sit back and let Liverpool have possession inside their own half. The hosts have had most of the possession but have yet to fully stretch the visitors. Ten minutes remaining in this first period.
Disappointment for Origi as he’s forced off with what looks like a hamstring injury. The Belgian youngster had looked very bright and was causing the Leicester defence problems.
Benteke is his replacement.
SAVE! Out of nothing, Leicester very nearly hit the front. Mahrez weaves in and out of a couple of challenges and gets a stinging strike away but Mignolet is up to the task and does enough to tip it over.
Blatant push in the back on Benteke from Morgan gives Liverpool another set-piece in a dangerous position. Two minutes of injury time as Coutinho stands over it.
But once again the delivery is poor and it’s cleared by the first man. Lallana, meanwhile, is booked for preventing a quick Leicester free-kick.
Half-time! Martin Atkinson ends the first period.
Liverpool have enjoyed the majority of the possession in that first-half (61%) and have had nine shots on goal but the sides go into the break on level terms.
Leicester have defended deeply but will be reasonably pleased with how things have gone so far with the hosts largely restricted to long-range efforts. That said, the Foxes have looked vulnerable when red shirts get in behind.
Back underway! Leicester restart proceedings at Anfield.
No changes for either side at the start of this second period.
Liverpool looking to come out of the blocks quickly but they’ve lacked that end product this afternoon. Another corner fails to beat the first man.
Poor challenge from Can on Vardy and the Liverpool man goes into the book.
Growing levels of frustration in the stands as Henderson’s exquisite ball finds Benteke in space. The Belgian striker has the chance to run at Morgan but instead opts to play it square for Lallana but his pass is poor.
Here are the latest scores from around the grounds:
Henderson overlaps Clyne as he looks to find the spark for his side. The captain’s cross is met by Benteke as his header goes over the bar – but it’s much better from the home side.
It’s all Liverpool now and Leicester find themselves on the backfoot. Huth pulls Lallana back and Liverpool have another chance to send a ball into the box.
Moreno’s delivery is high and towards the back post, where Lovren manages to head back across the box but Leicester deal with it comfortably. The set-piece deliveries haven’t been good enough for Liverpool so far.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City (Benteke)
The pressure eventually pays as Benteke slides in and meets Firmino’s low cross sweetly to fire past the goalkeeper. Superb finish.
Anfield is rocking and Liverpool go in search of a second. Benteke is full of confidence now and lashes a powerful effort narrowly wide of the upright, although he had been flagged offside.
Now what do Leicester have in the locker? They’ve been very, very ordinary this afternoon but nothing to find something from somewhere if they are to avoid defeat for the first time in 10 outings.
Can Jamie Vardy inspire a comeback? He’s hardly had a touch today.
Double substitution for Leicester as Claudio Ranieri introduces Nathan Dyer and Leonardo Ulloa. Okazaki and Vardy the players to make way.
Save! Leicester’s brightest moment forces Mignolet into a smart stop as the visitors search for an equaliser. 15 minutes remaining.
Rain is pouring down at Anfield and Leicester are looking to put the ball into the box at every opportunity and put pressure on Mignolet.
Close! Leicester are knocking on the door. Fuchs launches one of his long throws into the six yard box. Mignolet completely misses it, rebounds of Sakho onto Huth and back into the goalkeeper’s arms. Nervy moments for Klopp.
What a strike by Coutinho! The Brazilian comes within inches of sealing victory for his side but his dipping effort skims the top of the bar with Schmeichel rooted to the spot.
Liverpool break in numbers but Henderson’s square ball is to nobody in particular and the chance is gone. The game is suddenly stretched as we enter the final three minutes.
Chance! Great opportunity for Leicester as Fuchs’ long throw causes all sorts of problems. It eventually falls to King and his close range effort is deflected over. Liverpool look edgy at the back.
Klopp looks to run down the clock by introducing Lucas for Coutinho. Standing ovation for the Brazilian. We’re into added time now.
Four minutes added on. We’re already into the first of those.
Joe Allen also coming on and Liverpool are nearly home now.
Last chance for Leicester as Fuchs winds up the throw.
How did Benteke miss? Schmeichel is up for the throw in and Liverpool break in numbers. It’s four against one as Benteke is set through. He just has to slot it home past Wes Morgan but fires it against the defender and Lallana is unable to head home the follow-up.
But that’s full-time!
Liverpool are back to winning ways and it’s all smiles for Klopp at the final whistle. An entertaining affair but you can’t deny the Reds their win as Leicester suffer their first defeat since the lost to Arsenal in September.
That’s all from our live coverage this afternoon. There will be plenty of reaction to come throughout the evening, plus reports from the two late kick-offs.
