Hello everybody, you’re very welcome along to our coverage of this afternoon’s Brodge derby between Liverpool and Leicester City.
While this game does have all the hallmarks of a cracker — Liverpool top of the table and Leicester making serious strides for a European finish — we cannot get away from the Aaron Connolly show unfolding at the AMEX.
In case you haven’t heard, the 19-year-old Galway striker has scored twice on his first Premier League start. He broke his duck with a composed finish after Paulo Gazzaniga made an initial save, with Connolly adding his second with a brilliant, curling finish on 65 minutes.
But back to proceedings at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers returns to Merseyside in charge of a high-flying Leicester side who are currently third in the table with four wins from seven so far this season.
Even with the loss of Harry Maguire to Manchester United, the Foxes have been resolute at the back led by Caglar Soyuncu and Jonny Evans, while Jamie Vardy has been bagging goals for fun at the other end too.
Jurgen Klopp’s men have yet to drop a point in the Premier League this season, but did face a tricky test against against RB Salzburg midweek where the Reds threw away a three-goal lead before some Mo Salah magic sealed all three points.
Stick with us, kick-off is coming up at 3pm.
Let’s get started with the team news…
So, today’s teams will line out as:
Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Keita, Gomez, Henderson, Lallana, Origi, Kelleher, Elliott.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Ricardo Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Ndidi, Praet, Maddison, Tielemans, Barnes, Vardy.
Substitutes: Justin, Morgan, Gray, Albrighton, Ward, Perez, Choudhury.
Back at Anfield for the second time this week 👊 #LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/GGhAxSdl5W
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 5, 2019
20 minutes to go before kick-off at Anfield.
KICK-OFF: We’re underway at Anfield for the first half!
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
2 mins: Nice early attack from Liverpool as Andy Robertson bombs forward down the left, taking possession from Roberto Firmino. The Scotland captain picks out Mo Salah, who tries to feed the ball through to Sadio Mane, but Jonny Evans steps forward and intercepts.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
4 mins: Trent Alexander-Arnold with a long pass forward trying to pick out Salah racing though into space down the right wing. Caglar Soyuncu covers the ground and wins the ball back effectively.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
7 mins: Another chance for the hosts. Robertson gets into a promising position and tries to pick out Salah. The ball diverts out to Alexander-Arnold on the other side of the box and his own cross is deflected away by Wilfred Ndidi.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
10 mins: Really strong start by Liverpool here. Klopp’s men are dominating possession and putting Leicester under serious pressure deep inside their own half. Jamie Vardy and James Maddison yet to make an impact in attack.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
12 mins: A good run by Vardy sees him dribble into a dangerous spot just outside the box. He just runs out of legs though and bundles into Virgil van Dijk, who lumps the ball clear. No-nonsense defending from the big Dutchman.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
14 mins: Big chance for James Milner. Quick thinking from Alexander-Arnold in the corner there, nutmegging his marker before sending the ball across goal. Milner was completely unmarked at the back post, but blasted over the crossbar. Poor strike.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
17 mins: Good link-up play between Ricardo Pereira and Jamie Vardy. The England striker sends a dangerous ball right into the mixer from the right wing, but James Maddison’s run was poor and mistimed. Alexander-Arnold clears.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
19 mins: Fabinho tries to pick out the run of Mo Salah behind enemy lines. The Brazilian chipped a lovely ball over the top, but Kasper Schmeichel raced from his goal-line to put a stop to the danger.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
22 mins: Maddison does well to peel away in attack, but Fabinho drags him down and concedes a foul. Taking one for the team there, Fabinho. Just over 20 minutes gone and no goals, but Liverpool very much enjoying the upper hand.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
25 mins: Dejan Lovren is forced into action at the back for Liverpool. Harvey Barnes’s cross almost picked out the run of Jonny Evans — who had stayed up from a corner — but Lovren read the danger and diverted the ball over his own bar.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
28 mins: Alexander-Arnold has been instrumental for the Reds. He gets another dangerous ball into the box. Both Mo Salah and Roberto Firminho were making strides to meet it, but Jonny Evans did brilliantly to head the ball away.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
31 mins: Sadio Mane carves out a pocket of space just outside the box and fires a left-footed effort on target. It’s straight at Kasper Schmeichel though, and the Leicester goalkeeper makes a comfortable save.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
34 mins: Kasper Schmeichel is forced to come from his line. A long ball from Virgil van Dijk almost met the run of Sadio Mane, but Schmeichel raced ahead and headed the ball away. Good goalkeeping.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
36 mins: Close! Roberto Firmino latches onto a brilliant cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the Brazilian’s shot lagged just wide of the post. Firmino was stretching to make contact with the tip of his boot. He just couldn’t manage to divert the ball on target.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
37 mins: Pinball inside the Liverpool penalty area following James Maddison’s corner into the box. Klopp’s men manage to hook the ball away from danger, but concede a free-kick 25 yards out. Leicester enjoying a decent spell now.
Liverpool 0-0 Leicester City
40 mins: Save! A brilliant stop from Adrian to deny Caglar Soyuncu from Ben Chilwell’s cross. Soyuncu produced a powerful header which the Spanish goalkeeper clawed away. The referee’s assistant raises his flag for offside, though.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
40 mins: GOAL! Liverpool storm ahead with five minutes to go before the break. A sublime through ball from the left boot of James Milner plays Sadio Mane clean through. He makes no mistake one-one-one with Schmeichel, curling the ball into his bottom corner.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
43 mins: That was such a brilliant pass from Milner for the assist. Jonny Evans will be bitterly disappointed with his own positioning which allowed Mane race through on goal. Uncharacteristically poor defending from the Northern Ireland international.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
44 mins: Save! Mane almost grabs his second following a neat one-two with Firmino. The Brazilian veers into the box and picks out Mane with a lovely low pass directly to his feet. The Senegal forward has to hit it first time but strikes right at Schmeichel.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
44 mins: It’s chance after chance for Liverpool now. Mo Salah tees the ball up on a plate for James Milner to hit, but the midfielder lashes his shot wide of the target. He should have done better. Really good link-up play from Salah, though.
HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 LEICESTER CITY
The referee blows his whistle and we’re halfway there at Anfield. This has been a thoroughly enjoyable affair between two top sides.
A game full of energy and played at such a high-tempo from the first whistle, these sides have brought out the best in one another.
The return of Brendan Rodgers to Merseyside has undoubtedly added a little bit of spice to the affair too. Sadio Mane’s composed finish five minutes before the break is the difference so far.
Truth be told, Liverpool could have been two or three ahead were it not for some smart saves from Kasper Schmeichel.
More action to come shortly!
#PL HALF-TIME
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 5, 2019
Burnley 0-0 Everton
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester
Norwich 0-2 Aston Villa
Watford 0-0 Sheff Utd#BUREVE #LIVLEI #NORAVL #WATSHU pic.twitter.com/jA9wQq4eQd
Second-half: We’re back underway at the Anfield!
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
46 mins: Save! Razor-sharp reflexes from Kasper Schmeichel denies Liverpool a second goal less than a minute into the second half. Alexander-Arnold picks out the run of Firmino — who flicks the ball on target — but Schmeichel produces a brilliant stop to palm the ball to safety.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
49 mins: Leicester will hope to produce a little bit more flair in attack in this second half. Brendan Rodgers has opted for a change; Harvey Barnes was replaced on the right wing by Marc Albrighton at the break.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
52 mins: Salah almost clean through on goal after spinning away from Soyuncu. The Turkish defender knew he was beat for pace there and pulled back on Salah’s jersey to concede a free. Cynical but necessary, and he picks up a booking.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
55 mins: Salah’s free-kick smashes off the top of the wall. He regains possession and tries to deliver a cross into the penalty area, but Ben Chilwell rises high and heads the ball clear to safety.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
57 mins: Neaaaaarly a second for Liverpool. A superb one-two between Salah and Mane sees the goalscorer bundle through on goal. Jonny Evans produces a crucial last-minute interception and the ball skids away for a corner.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
60 mins: Down the other end James Maddison’s corner swung deep into the centre of the box is met by the immovable force that is Virgil van Dijk’s head. Excellent clearance from the Dutch international.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
63 mins: Firmino glances a low strike narrowly wide of the target. He drifts away from Caglar Soyuncu cleverly inside the box, but his shot lags off target as Liverpool continue to search for a second.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
65 mins: Close to an equaliser for Leicester. Marc Albrighton plays an excellent through ball into the path of Jamie Vardy, but Adrian closes down the space and gathers possession. Much better service for Vardy from Albrighton.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
68 mins: Andy Robertson with a gilt edged chance right in front of goal. He sprints into space down the left, but his powerful left-footed strike is straight at Kasper Schmeichel. Sublime save from the Dane.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
71 mins: Gini Wijnaldum peels away from Wilfred Ndidi with a brilliant twist on the edge of the box. The Dutch midfielder takes one touch and then another, before shooting. His effort is weak, though, and Schmeichel smoothers it rather easily.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
74 mins: Dennis Praet is replaced by Ayoze Perez and the ex-Newcastle striker is straight at it. He latches onto the ball inside the box and tries to find a way through, but Dejan Lovren stands tall and blocks his cross away.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
77 mins: Big chance for Jurgen Klopp’s side to put the game to bed. Salah races into space and lays the ball off invitingly for Roberto Firmino to strike. He tries to roll the ball into the bottom corner, but Evans throws himself in the way.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
79 mins: A pair of substitutions for Liverpool for the final spell. Gini Wijnaldum comes off to be replaced by Jordan Henderson and Divock Origi takes the place of Bobby Firmino.
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
80 mins: GOAL! Leicester have dug deep and produced an equaliser late on to silence Anfield. James Maddison picks up the ball just inside the box and sweeps a low effort underneath Adrian. It’s his third Premier League goal of the season. What drama!
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
83 mins: Ten minutes remaining for either side to snatch a late winner here. Leicester have been buoyed by Maddison’s equaliser and are throwing men forward in search of another. An electric atmosphere inside Anfield at the moment.
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
86 mins: Dejan Lovren rises highest to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner swung into the box. The centre-back had a free pop on goal but failed to hit the target. A second corner produces another header, this time from van Dijk, but he fires over.
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
89 mins: Good attack from Leicester, who fancy a late winner here. Jamie Vardy cuts inside from the right flank and tries to cross over to Ayoze Perez, but Alexander-Arnold got back just in time to head clear.
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
93 mins: PENALTY! Late drama at Anfield as Liverpool earn a penalty deep into stoppage time. Marc Albrighton is penalised for a foul from behind on Sadio Mane and the league leaders now have the chance to grab a late winner.
Liverpool 1-1 Leicester City
93 mins: There’s a quick check with VAR from the officials just to make sure and it confirms Albrighton’s foul. James Milner steps up to take the penalty…
Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City
95 mins: GOAL! Anfield errrupppppts into a frenzy of celebration as James Milner tucks the ball away into the bottom corner. He sends Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way to restore Liverpool’s lead. What drama!
FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 LEICESTER CITY
It’s all over! Goodness me, what a finish.
Anfield erupts once more as the referee blows his whistle to mark the end of an incredible game.
Brendan Rodgers looked certain to clinch a point upon his return to Merseyside, but James Milner’s 95th-minute penalty crushes Leicester hearts.
Sadio Mane’s opener had been cancelled out by James Maddison’s late equaliser in the 80th minute, but there was even more late drama when Marc Albrighton fouled Mane inside the box.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man with ice in his veins as Milner stood up and stuck the penalty away with cool, calm confidence.
With Liverpool battling for the title that could prove to be a massive win for the Reds as they maintain they’re 100% start to the campaign.
Thanks a million for joining us this evening — you can read our full match report here. Cya!
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
