A stoppage-time penalty from James Milner earned Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield on Saturday, maintaining the league leaders’ 100% start to the Premier League season.
On his return to the club he almost guided to the 2013 – 14 Premier League title, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers set his current side up to frustrate a Liverpool team chasing a 17 th con secutive league victory.
The hosts, who came into the clash unbeaten in their last 43 league games at Anfield, did initially struggle to break down Leicester as Rodgers seemed to have got his tactics spot on.
This relentless Liverpool team cannot be kept at bay for too long, however, as Sadio Mane brilliantly slotted home his 50 th league goal for the club to break the deadlock in the 40 th minute.
Chances for Liverpool to double their advantage came and went, with Mane and Mohamed Salah gui lty of poor finishing, and their profligacy looked to have cost their side as James Maddison equalized with 10 minutes left.
However, the drama was not over, as Mane was brought down in the box to give Liverpool the chance to snatch all three points and Milner converted the penalty to send Liverpool, with Manchester City not in action until Sunday, eight points clear at the top of the standings.
Relive all the action as it happened right here.
Liverpool XI:Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs:Keita, Gomez, Henderson, Lallana , ****Leicester XI:Schmeichel, Ricardo Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Ndidi, Praet, Maddison, Tielemans , Barnes, Vardy.
Subs:Justin, Morgan, Gray, Albrighton, Ward, Perez, Choudhury.
After the final whistle fight …
Milner celebrations
(Image: Getty Images)
Milner converts
Penalty decision pics
Full time!
WOW!
What a finale!
Milner saves Liverpool from the spot.
Perez is NOT happy after the whistle as he tries to fight some Liverpool players.
Vardy pulls him away and calms him down.
Then he chats to lino Sian Massey-Ellis. Not sure what sparked that.
KEY EVENT
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Leicester (Milner)
Milner to take …
AND SCORES !!
Never doubt Milner!
Cool finish to the keepers left.
93 rd minutes winner !!!
Liverpool look set to go eight points clear with a 18 th straight win!
KEY EVENT
PENALTYYY
LIVERPOOL !!!!
Mane tripped and it is given !!
Albrighton the guilty man after he mixed up with Schmeichel.
WHAT A MOMENT!
VAR has a look but no doubt.
92 ”
Salah is really struggling now.
He tried to walk and hobble it off.
90 ‘
FOUR ADDED MINUTES.
Liverpool love a late goal.
Can they get one today ?
89 ‘
Choudhury has just come on and hacks down Salah.
“Took one for the team” but that could have been red.
Salah is in pain but limping around – no medical attention needed.
Alexander-Arnold’s delivery isn’t good, too heavy and flat.
87 ”
Robertson and Alexander-Arnold over a free kick on the left touchline.
Good ball but Ndidi just beats van Dijk in the air – great battle.
Vardy on the counter but his cross isn t good enough and the Foxes’ chance disappears.
Maddison goal and celebration
84 ”
Origi’s first moment wins Liverpool a corner.
Nice footwork to beat Ricardo but the defender gets back.
Lovren gets up but it is nodded behind.
Then from the next corner van Dijk MUST SCORE!
But his header is powered over … he was completely free.
81 ‘
Let’s be honest that was coming.
Liverpool have been nervy in the second half and Leicester have been slowly growing.
Inside the last 10 minutes and this could be fun …
KEY EVENT
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Leicester (Maddison)
MADDISON !!!
Perez feeds Maddison into the box and the forward swivels and fires under Adrian.
The Spaniard should perhaps do better as it goes straight through his legs.
WOW!
What a finish we are in for now !!!
) 78 ‘
Here come Origi and Henderson as mentioned.
Firmino and Wijnaldum off.
76 ”
Salah running at a defense w ith a two on two usually spells trouble.
But the Egyptian has not been on it today.
On this occasion his slip towards Mane is woefully over hit.
75 ”
The perfect players to be able to call upon at this stage.
Origi will add some much needed spark while Henderson will settle the midfield down.
All feels tense at the moment at Anfield.
73 ”
Nice slow counter from Leicester.
The ball goes through everyone yet gets from end to end before Liverpool.
Eventually the ball falls to Praet on the edge of the area and he puts his head down and drills narrowly wide.
That’s his last actions has he is swapped off for Perez.
71 ”
Wijnaldum scored last week.
Can’t beat Schmeichel on this occasion as his effort from the edge of the area is rather dragged o n target.
69 ‘
Evans into the book.
The Leicester defender wrestles Salah to the ground.
Perez waiting to come on.
65 ‘
ALL A CTION !!!
Vardy chases down a ball in behind.
He never looks like he’ll get there but if he stuck his left foot out then he may well have beaten Adrian to the ball.
At the other end, Robertson is in acres of space in the box but his shot is blocked away.
Salah is then clean through but is off side.
Phew.
64 ”
Liverpool not afraid to keep the ball but not feel pressured to attack.
Ironically this is where the best chance in a long time has come from.
Patient stuff and eventually Firmino has a shot at goal.
He rolls it across Schmeichel but it doesn’t quite catch the inside of the post.
61 ‘
Nice moves at both ends.
Neither end with anything other than turn overs.
Really frustrating stuff between two sides who are deservedly at the top end of the table.
58 ”
Bit of rare second half sustained pressure from Leicester (just like they had in the minutes before Liverpool scored).
You wouldn’t say they have overly tested the Reds but the hosts are camped in their own
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