Leicester City 1-0 Liverpool: Ademola Lookman scores as Foxes beat Reds

Ademola Lookman scored the only goal as Leicester beat Liverpool to leave the Reds six points off the top of the Premier League table.

Liverpool's biggest chances came in the first half when Mohamed Salah had a 15th-minute penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel and headed the rebound off the bar.

Sadio Mane then missed a couple of opportunities for Jurgen Klopp's side before they were made to pay by the hosts in the 59th minute.

Former Everton forward Lookman, with only his fourth touch after coming on, took Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's pass in his stride, beat Joel Matip and rifled a shot past Alisson - Leicester's only shot on target.

Leicester, missing several first-team players, hung on despite relentless late Liverpool pressure - just six days after blowing a 3-1 lead to lose on penalties against the same opposition in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

With only their second defeat of the season, Liverpool are now six points behind leaders Manchester City, while Leicester - who have won just two games out of seven - move up to ninth.

The Reds could also end 2021 in third place and nine points off top spot if Pep Guardiola's City beat Brentford, and Chelsea at least draw with Brighton, on Wednesday.

Huge blow for Reds' title hopes?

Goals seemed to be practically guaranteed in this one. Liverpool had scored a club record 50 in their opening 18 league games.

Leicester had netted 12 and let in another dozen in their last four games, including the 3-3 cup draw at Anfield and a 6-3 defeat by Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Injury problems for the Foxes meant Wilfred Ndidi returned from a hamstring problem to start at centre-back.

He fouled Salah for the penalty which everybody expected to produce the opener.

But Schmeichel guessed right as the Reds failed from the spot for the first time in the Premier League in more than four years.

Salah should also have netted the rebound too with Schmeichel on the ground, but his looping header in front of an empty net hit the crossbar.

That means he ends 2021 on 24 Premier League goals and 11 assists.

The Reds had a host of half-chances, with Jordan Henderson half-volleying off target on three occasions in the opening period.

Schmeichel then did well to keep out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's overhit cross and Salah's first-time effort - with Mane missing a couple of good chances too.

Vardy caused the visitors problems - but substitute Lookman's goal three minutes after coming on was their only shot on target.

In their thrilling cup clash, Liverpool came from two goals down to break the Foxes' hearts with a 95th-minute equaliser, but this time the hosts held their nerve.

Liverpool kept pushing until the end with Diogo Jota heading wide and Schmeichel saving a Virgil van Dijk shot with his feet.

This was their first league game without scoring in 29 outings and makes Sunday's trip to Chelsea - the last before Salah, Mane and Naby Keita go to the Africa Cup of Nations - almost a must-win meeting.

Player of the match

SchmeichelKasper Schmeichel

Leicester City

Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel

Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall

Squad number37Player nameLookman

Squad number33Player nameThomas

Squad number25Player nameNdidi

Squad number10Player nameMaddison

Squad number18Player nameAmartey

Squad number27Player nameCastagne

Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton

Squad number8Player nameTielemans

Squad number9Player nameVardy

Squad number14Player nameIheanacho

Squad number42Player nameSoumaré

Squad number20Player nameChoudhury

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-3-1-2

1Schmeichel

27Castagne18Amartey25Ndidi33Thomas

20Choudhury42Soumaré10Maddison

22Dewsbury-Hall

9Vardy14Iheanacho

Substitutes

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson

66Alexander-Arnold32Matip4van Dijk21Tsimikas

14Henderson3Fabinho15Oxlade-Chamberlain

11Salah20Jota10Mané

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Leicester City 1, Liverpool 0.

Second Half ends, Leicester City 1, Liverpool 0.

Attempt missed. Joel Matip (Liverpool) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Daniel Amartey.

Attempt blocked. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Naby Keïta.

James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Ademola Lookman (Leicester City).

Foul by Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool).

Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Daniel Amartey.

Attempt blocked. Naby Keïta (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.

Attempt missed. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kasper Schmeichel.

Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Attempt blocked. Joel Matip (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Milner with a cross.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.

Foul by Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool).

Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Source Link