Ademola Lookman steals to give Leicester exhausted win over Liverpool | Premier League

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For the second time in 72 hours, Manchester City could enjoy the result in the Leicester game. The most celebrated aspect, however, was Leicester himself. In adversity, lack of players or time to prepare, they made a temporary defense, fresh from the blows, trying to inflict Liverpool’s second league defeat since March. City could be 12 points clear before Liverpool play again and Jurgen Klopp may regret the rareness of Mohamed Salah’s rejected penalty and Sadio Mane’s disastrous failure.

But for Brendan Rodgers, there was justification the moment Ademola Lookman, the substitute he had given just two minutes before, scored. It required a great performance from Kasper Schmeichel, but Leicester got the best result in their mixed campaign.

Rodgers considered the schedule “ridiculous” but he was still able to make five changes. Some of the perpetrators were demoted in the 6-3 win over Manchester City, the group was modified and Massey’s midfield selected. Even with Yuri Tillmans rested, he still names five players who represent his central midfielders by trade. Wilfried Ndidi, considered unfit to appear at Manchester City, lined up in defence, Yannick Westergaard withdrew even as Leicester’s top three defenders were eliminated.

Instead, Ndidi and Daniel Amarty were accused of halting Liverpool’s confidence, and Rodgers’ confidence in the defensive midfielder to perform a defender job appeared misplaced when Leicester, who had received two penalties at the Etihad on Sunday, missed the third goal in as many days.

My clumsy nadidi kept stretching until Salah stumbled. The Egyptian player has not missed a penalty kick in the Premier League since 2017, but he missed three chances to put Liverpool ahead. Schmeichel saved the penalty kick for Salah, who rebounded to the crossbar. It also bounced back to him but he couldn’t connect cleanly.

While that put Schmeichel in a squad with Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Losel, the only other goalkeeper to save Salah in the Premier League, he had little time to enjoy the achievement. The Egyptian player denied it again, and arguably more accurately by chance, when he stopped his increasing effort. Before that, he had to act smart to prevent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross from slipping off when Jordan Henderson attempted a finishing touch.

Liverpool had taken the lead, but Leicester possessed a counterattack threat. Unsurprisingly, it was all about Jamie Vardy. His two goals in the first half against Liverpool in last week’s Carabao Cup match could have repeated the feat. His first chance was missed in an unconcerned fashion by Virgil van Dijk.

Kasper Schmeichel saves Mohamed Salah’s penalty kick in the first half. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Joël Matip then had to make one last intervention to block Vardy’s shot. The veteran turned provider on a quick third break, passing Costas Tsimikas and slipping into James Madison. Trent Alexander-Arnold slipped to hack his shot off the line. However, Leicester, who trailed 4-0 at the end of the first half on Sunday, may enjoy a sense of parity at the break here.

The result was a sign that Leicester had become more organized. When Rodgers sought to crowd midfield, it meant space was on the wings. Tsimikas was able to advance unopposed a few times, although Liverpool missed the dynamism that would have been provided by suspended Andy Robertson, and there were times when his replacement struggled to deliver the final ball.

If Liverpool seemed more dependent on the right-hand trio of Alexander-Arnold, Henderson and Salah to present a threat, it also reflected Mane’s low profile. The Senegalese had a glorious chance to score the first goal in nine matches but he turned it down. Diogo Jota sent his whistle, shot in a corner to avoid Timothy Castanee but fired his shot over the crossbar.

The importance of Miss soon emerged. Rodgers made a double change, recalling Lookman and Tillmans. Former Everton winger Lookman scored on Sunday and did it again here, receiving the ball midway, exchanging passes with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and racing forward to beat Alisson.

Klopp brought on Roberto Firmino, putting all four main strikers on the field at the same time. Leicester focused more on defence, leaving Vardy alone in attack as Mark Albrighton was introduced to put him in fifth place while Liverpool set up camp in their area. They rarely bothered Leicester in the 20 minutes after Lockman’s hit as they looked disjointed.

Then Salah hit a ball far from Schmeichel’s goal. Jota headed close to Alexander-Arnold’s corner. Van Dyck dug a low effort that was repelled by Schmeichel at his close position. I felt the pressure hard but Leicester defied and held on. They deserve it.

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