Liverpool 1 Leicester 0: Liverpool out Leicester, Leicester

High flying Leicester came in to the match knowing that a win would officially secure their League position, but if truth be known we needed the win in order to hang on to the coat tails of a Champions League position.

Martin Skrtel’s loss for six weeks was soften somewhat by the return of Dejan Lovren with the prospect of facing the most feared goal scoring partnership in the Premier League of Vardy and Mehrez.  Bogdan will have felt disappointed that his claim on the first team jersey was over before it began following is disappointing performance against Watford.

In a bid to negate Leicester’s blistering counter attacks, Jurgen Klopp set Liverpool up to mirror Reinier’s 4-4-2 formation.

This was Liverpool back to the fast starts pressing high up the field.  Coutinho ducking in from the left whipped a curling shot just past the far post.

Mehrez dancing feet twinkled past Moreno and the covering Coutinho before seeing his cross cut out.

Liverpool continued to pile on the pressure with Coutinho featuring in a starring role prompting and probing, but unable to eek out a clear cut opportunity.

That being said half chances were being served up.  Coutinho, body arched for his famous curler shot into the Anfield Road stand, and Lallana motoring in to the area fired past the near post with surely inside the far surely the better option.

Emre Can looking a more imposing figure playing alongside saw his shot well shovelled round by Schmeichel.

Origi impressing leading the line with his pace, strength and movement was giving the imposing Morgan an uncomfortable afternoon.   Collecting the ball on the right the Belgian striker cut in before powering a blistering shot just over the bar.

His promising start to the game was soon stopped in its tracks by a pulled hamstring.  It was disappointing as style of play lends itself to the pressing game club Klopp prefers.

Jurgen Klopp mentioned in midweek the need for Benteke to give more outside the box and he told the player so.  Benteke replaced the unlucky Origi.

Mahrez skilfully bought himself some time before shooting powerfully with barely any back lift.  Mignolet palmed over in expert fashion.

The start of the second-half as with first saw Liverpool looking lively.  Jordan Henderson swept a wonderful curling ball around the last defender and into the path of Benteke only for the striker to fail to control the ball in his stride and then fail to pick out a colleague.

The striker was soon to show he would be unbowed by the mishap.

A superb one-two between Firmino and Lallana and saw the Brazilian scuttle clear down the left to pull the ball back across the area for Benteke to brilliantly manufacture a finish on the half-volley on the stretch to leave the diving Schmeichel with little chance.

Leicester were far from finished and almost struck back in inimitable fashion with Mignolet pulling off a stunning point blank save from Fuchs.

Coutinho fashioned out space for himself before unleashing a tremendous drive form 20 yards which dipped before brushing the top of the net on the way down.  Firmino latching on to a ball over the top after Morgan and Simpson collided going for the same ball volleyed narrowly passed the far post.

Jordan Henderson, with Liverpool counter-attacking in the final moments failed to pick out a Benteke or Firmino.  Liverpool were almost made to pay when only a last ditch tackle from Emre Can in front of Mignolet’s goal saved a certain equaliser.

Then a comical moment.  With the four minutes of injury time almost over, Schmeichel making the extra man in the area for a corner was left languishing as Liverpool charged up the pitch with at least five players against one.  A fully confident Benteke receiving the ball 35 yards would with no goal keeper and a defender not yet in front of him would have rolled the ball in.  This version, in trying to make sure took the ball into area before meekly prodding against the recovering defender before Lucas headed the rebound wide.

Liverpool was almost made to be pay and Leicester with the last chance of the match headed over with the goal beckoning.   Lucky.

Man of the match:  Emre Can – showed majority in covering back with no Lucas covering in behind and going forward when appropriate.  Had a couple of shots on goal making the goal keeper work on one.  The responsibility in a two man central midfield appeared to grow in stature and can only reiterate would like to see him alongside and a champion midfielder in the future.

Critical eye: The Liverpool defence as a whole deserve praise for allowing down Vardy and Mehrez to one attempt on goal apiece. Jordan Henderson was excellent and seems to be close to his old self and while Firmino struggled he played a vital role in assisting Benteke for his winner.

Coutinho looked to back to his best drifting across the line from the left to fire-in some trade mark range finders.

The manager will be please that his team followed his worth ethic relentlessly pushing forward until the end, but he will know that this is a work in progress with his team failing to capitalise on its dominance throughout, which could have been counter-productive particularly against a team who recent successes have been based on the counter-attack against teams with the majority of possession.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 6 Lovren, 17 Sakho, 18 Moreno, 14 Henderson, 23 Can, 20 Lallana (Allen – 93 mins), 11 Firmino, 10 Coutinho (Lucas – 91 mins), 27 Origi (Benteke – 38 mins)

Subs: 4 K Touré, 9, Benteke, 21 Lucas, 24 Allen, 34 Bogdan, 53 J Teixeira, 56 Randall

Leicester: 1 Schmeichel, 17 Simpson, 5 Morgan, 6 Huth, 28 Fuchs, 26 Mahrez (Kramanic – 80 mins), 10 King, 14 Kanté, 11 Albrighton, 20 Okazaki (Dyer – 69 mins), 9 Vardy (Ulloa – 69 mns)

Subs: 2 de Laet, 19 Kramanic, 23 Ulloa, 24 Dyer, 27 Wasilewski, 32 Schwarzer, 33 Inler

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Attendance: 44, 123