Diogo Jota double leaves Brendan Rodgers feeling the pressure
Diogo Jota scores Liverpool's second goal. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA
Liverpool 2
Leicester 0
Two goals from Diogo Jota added to former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers’ concerns and took his season tally to an impressive 17 — a reminder that, even if the league title is beyond them, Jurgen Klopp’s side still packs a considerable punch.
Jota struck the opener after 34 minutes with a goal that lifted the pressure on Liverpool after they had spent the opening exchanges trying to deal with a team that had already caused problems for their title aspirations in recent weeks.
If, as is looking ever more likely, Liverpool miss out on the league title to Manchester City, Klopp will be left to rue two weeks over Christmas in which his team squandered seven points in three games, including a 1-0 defeat at Leicester.
That loss was all the more damning considering that it was one of only three Leicester victories in 11 games before last night, a sequence that has Rodgers’ job security into sharp focus with the Foxes.
With Sadio Mane still recuperating after his Africa Cup of Nations exertions, and Mo Salah starting on the bench for Klopp’s team, there was clearly no further margin for error for the Reds.
And new signing Luis Diaz might have lifted spirits considerably inside the opening 15 seconds of his first start for his new club when he collected a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass and forced Daniel Amartey into an important block.
But it took until a corner from Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool to break the deadlock, after his cross was met by Virgil Van Dijk whose powerful header was well blocked by Kasper Schmeichel, with Jota reacting first and burying the loose ball.
It was the highlight of an entertaining first half but one in which Klopp’s team could not really establish the stranglehold they would have expected against such out of form opponents.
In fact, Alisson was required to make the game’s first save, flinging himself to push away a James Maddison shot across the face of goal after the Leicester playmaker exchanged passes nicely with Ademola Lookman.
There was also a dangerous cross from James Justin which flew agonisingly behind, and not in front of, Lookman as he sprinted into the six-yard area.
But Liverpool, naturally, carried a threat with their first real chance coming after Alexander-Arnold skilfully made room for himself in the area and unleashed a powerful strike that Schmeichel parried well.
The goal breathed fresh impetus into Liverpool’s attack and, before the half-time whistle, Thiago senT a spectacular effort bouncing just wide from the edge of the area.
And, twice, the increasingly lively Roberto Firmino had openings which he shot directly at the Leicester keeper who then opened the second half by pushing an effort by Jota away from his goal.
A Maddison free-kick offered brief respite - and, while there was only one goal in it, Leicester could dream - but it was not long before Liverpool were back in the ascendancy, wave after red wave sweeping forwards.
Diaz saw a strong strike deflected behind then shot wide after opening up an angle to allow himself space and, in the meantime, Leicester had been treated to the sickening sight of Salah being thrown on as a substitute on the hour.
Predictably, the Egyptian icon looked keen to make up for lost time in front of his adoring Liverpool public.
On 73 minutes, fellow substitute Harvey Elliott audaciously pushed the ball through a defender’s legs, Salah jinked his way past two defenders and Schmeichel denied him with a fine block at the near post.
The Leicester keeper was excelling, never more so than two minutes later when Salah raced clean through against him tried to chip the Dane and Schmeichel responded with a brilliant one-handed stop.
Salah was clipped by Amartey in that attempt but showed there was no lasting damage two minutes after that with a curling effort that struck the Leicester cross-bar.
Three times in four minutes, Salah might have scored in that spell and Diaz also reminded Liverpool fans of his tremendous potential by forcing Schmeichel into two more saves in the minutes that followed.
The inevitable arrived three minutes from time, Schmeichel getting a touch to, but unable to keep out, a shot from Jota who had been played through by a superb, clever pass from Joel Matip.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
