Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Premier League title were dealt a significant blow on Tuesday night with a defeat to Leicester City.
The Reds suffered a 1-0 loss at the King Power Stadium, thanks to a second half goal from former Everton youngster Ademola Lookman.
Mohamed Salah missed a penalty and the following rebound in the first half, while Sadio Mane also squandered an opportunity through on goal.
The result leaves Liverpool six points behind leaders Manchester City in second place and level on points with third-placed Chelsea going into Sunday’s crunch clash at Stamford Bridge.
Plenty of national media outlets were at the King Power to watch Liverpool’s defeat, here is a selection of what they had to say.
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Henry Winter, via The Times
“This was a hugely damaging defeat for Liverpool, who may be nine points off the Premier League leaders Manchester City by close of play tonight.
“This tired performance will trigger inquests among Liverpool fans over the need for their American owner, Fenway Sports Group, to refresh the squad, especially in midfield, and frustrations over Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané failing to take their chances.
“Yet there are two sides to every story, two sides to every game, and Leicester City were simply better in all departments. They had two days to prepare for this game and yet seemed fresher and hungrier than Liverpool, who had six days.
“After all the doubts foolishly expressed about Brendan Rodgers, he set up his team with the right shape and state of mind to thwart his old club. One of the Premier League’s elite managers, Rodgers also made inspired in-game changes, sending on Ademola Lookman after 56 minutes and the player on loan from RB Leipzig scored within three minutes. Lookman never fully settled at Everton, scoring only once in 36 Premier League appearances, but Goodison Park will be singing his praises now.
“After all the concerns about Leicester’s depleted resources, they had a makeshift defence and midfield that resisted everything Liverpool could throw at them. Leicester had two midfielders, Wilfred Ndidi and Daniel Amartey, at centre back, and they excelled, preventing Liverpool from scoring for the first time in 35 games. After all the criticism over whether Leicester could defend corners, they repelled a barrage here.”
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Dominic King, via the Mail Online
“The pre-game warning was emphatic. To stand any chance of becoming champions, Jurgen Klopp had told Liverpool’s players they could not make any mistakes.
“Liverpool are usually so adept at following their manager’s commands but, on this occasion, the opposite was true. How bitter the irony for Klopp that on a night when they need clarity and composure, they were confused and careless. And how it has cost them.
“From a missed Mohamed Salah penalty and squandered chances (21 shots, none converted) to the easy concession of Ademola Lookman’s decisive goal, it might be December 29 but the ramifications of this defeat at Leicester City are likely to be long-lasting in the title race.
“By the time Liverpool next play, at Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, they could – and most probably will – be 12 points behind Manchester City. History tells you Pep Guardiola isn’t accustomed to relinquishing such advantages. Why should it be any different this time?”
Melissa Reddy, via The Independent
“A dogged Leicester painted Liverpool as the team without rest or nine first-team players on Tuesday night as Ademola Lookman’s winner sliced through their festive feeling and title tilt.
“Against the odds, the extent of their absentees, and their exertions in a 6-3 loss to Manchester City, Brendan Rodgers’ men pulled off an unexpected triumph in the space of 48 hours, ribboned with a rare clean sheet.
“They will have expected plenty more punch from a full-strength Liverpool who had Boxing Day off, but were seriously jaded. Jurgen Klopp’s men were slow, unsure and largely sleepwalking through the encounter.
“Liverpool, their spine of Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho restored following a Covid-enforced absence, will have had sympathy for Leicester operating minus their first-choice back four. The Merseysiders had Jordan Henderson and debutant Ozan Kabak in the heart of defence during their last league visit to King Power Stadium in February, where their lack of stability was punished 3-1.
“Rodgers opted to field Wilfred Ndidi and Daniel Amartey as his centre-back pairing, with Jannik Vestergaard on the bench. A side with just two clean sheets this season had their work cut out trying to thwart the visitors, who hit the 50 league goal mark this season for the fastest time in their top-flight history. The match didn’t quite care for convention or the script.”
Richard Jolly, via The Guardian
“For the second time in three days Manchester City could savour the result in a Leicester game. A title race that threatened to go down to the tape could now have a runaway favourite. Liverpool’s defeat, only their second in the league since March, means they might be 12 points behind Pep Guardiola’s team by the time they play again.
“And yet, as the euphoric scenes at the final whistle showed, the real winners were Leicester. In a year when they belatedly lifted the FA Cup for the first time, this will not be their most famous victory. Yet the lap of honour illustrated that 2021 concluded with an extraordinary triumph.
“A side short of players and time to prepare, fresh from a hammering and minus a specialist centre-back on the pitch nonetheless produced a colossal collective effort. Liverpool were nullified by a mass of bodies in the box and, if it took a remarkable goalkeeping performance to deny them, perhaps that was fitting, too. FA Cup glory came courtesy of Kasper Schmeichel’s saves and so did Leicester’s finest result of this season.
“A team without a point against sides in the top six emerged with three. A side who had sieved six goals two days earlier and whose only Premier League clean sheets were against Wolves and Newcastle became the first defence since Real Madrid in April to stop Liverpool from scoring.”
