How things stand: That makes it nine without a win for Leicester, who will remain bottom of the table after tonight’s reverse. Liverpool are in eighth after tonight, just 13 points off the Premier League summit. They did well this evening against game, but limited oppositions. Their propensity for howlers at the back remains very much in place, but an away win when the chips are down is not to be scoffed at.
Full-time: Leicester City 1-3 Liverpool
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeep! It’s all over - Liverpool have won 3-0 with Steven Gerrard back in the starting line-up and back on the scoresheet. He applauds the fans and shakes hands with assorted players as he makes his way off the pitch looking fairly pleased with life. Despite the scoreline, this was a far from routine win. The Foxes were tenacious and dogged throughout and stayed in the hunt for a point until late in the game, despite having been reduced to 10 men.
90+5 min: Another cross from the right from Albrighton. It’s a good one and Leonardo Ulloa sents a meaty header straight into Simon Mignolet’s breadbasket.
Liverpool substitution: Liverpool sportingly offer Leicester the chance of a reprieve by replacing Raheem Sterling with Dejan Lovren.
90+1 min: The fourth official has recommended six minutes of added time. Albrighton swings another cross into the Liverpool penalty area, but this one is cleared too.
90 min: Leicester win a corner and their goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel comes up to join in the fun. Albrighton’s near post delivery is headed clear by Steven Gerrard.
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88 min: Inside his own penalty area, Martin Skrtel is flattened by a piledriver from Matty James. He took it on the top of the head, rather than straight in the mush, so he should be OK after treatment. Hats off to Leicester, who haven’t given up despite losing a man and going two behind. They’re still chasing and harrying, giving Liverpool plenty to think about.
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86 min: Gerrard and Sterling played big parts in the build-up to that goal, the former picking out the latter with a fine cross from the left as Liverpool got in behind Leicester’s decidedly stretched defence. It was from there that the ball cannoned off a defender and what should have been a routine save was fumbled by Schmeichel.
GOAL! Leicester 1-2 Liverpool (Henderson 84)
Liverpool take advantage of a mistake from Kasper Schmeichel, who spilled a deflection off one of his own defenders at the near post and enabled Raheem Sterling to backheel the ball back into space across the penalty area from as tight angle. Jordan Henderson was on hand to emphatically roof the ball into the Leicester goal.
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79 min: Ten-man Leicester continue to keep Liverpool under the cosh as they search for an equaliser. They’ve brought on Marc Albrighton for Paul Konchesky and the replacement takes up position on the right wing, as Mahrez moves to the left.
79 min: Things you’ve missed since that penalty incident: Jeff Schlupp getting booked for catching Henderson with his arm as he challenged for a high ball, then Jamie Vardy volleying narrowly wide from a Matty James free-kick.
77 min: I’ve seen a replay of that Gerrard penalty decision and am still not sure what to make of it. Having beaten the offside trap to go through on goal one-on-one against Schmeichel, Gerrard appeared to do a sort of Devon Lough, by hurdling a diving goalkeeper that wasn’t there. Schmeichel stayed on his feet, the pair then collided and Gerrard went to the ground. Should it have been a penalty? I would say no, but not with much certainty.
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75 min: Leicester go close, after great work down the wing by Mahrez. He picks out Cambiasso, whose shot pinballs around the Liverpool penalty area before ricocheting wide off one of his own team-mates.
74 min: Through on goal with the ball at his feet, Steven Gerrard goes down under a challenge from Kaspar Schmeichel. On first view, it looks a penalty, but the ref is unmoved. Gerrard cannot believe he didn’t get a penalty there.
72 min: Konchesky robs Glen Johnson of possession and pings the ball forward to Jamie Vardy, who attempts one of his mazy runs in behind the defence. Toure tries and fails to clear and things look ominous for Liverpool, but Martin Skrtel steps in to avert the danger.
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70 min: Liverpool substitution: Adam Lallana off, Joe Allen on.
68 min: There’s confusion between Leicester manager Nigel Pearson (sitting in the stand) and his assistant Super Kevin Phillips (on the touchline) as they prepare a substitution. Liam Moore was primed and ready to come on and replace Jeff Schlupp, who had walked to the touchline. After a lengthy radio chat between manager and assistant, Schlupp returned to the action and the young centre-back returned to the dug-out. Leicester continue to play with two strikers, despite being down to 10 men.
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65 min: Leicester win a free-kick when Steven Gerrard is booked for a tug on Matty James, which foiled a Leicester counter-attack.
Red card: Leicester's Wes Morgan is sent off
The Leicester captain drags Rickie Lambert to ground as the Liverpool striker was trying to get around him after latching on to a through ball. The referee blows his whistle and reaches for the red card, having considered Morgan to have prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity. Whether or not it was will be debated in the saloons of Leicester tonight, but the player himself has no complaints.
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62 min: Raheem Sterling goes on a slaloming run from inside his own half deep into Liverpool territory, then runs out of options before shooting over the bar.
61 min: Leicester City win a free-kick, about 45 yards from the Liverpool goal. Matty James hoists the ball into the penalty area towards Marcus Wasilewski, but Liverpool clear.
59 min: Gerrard takes a free-kick from the left, deep in Leicester territory after a foul on Raheem Sterling. Morgan heads clear.
57 min: Gerrard celebrates with his team-mates and the pitchside microphones pick up sounds that suggest they’ve just won the title with the last kick of the season. Leicester City’s fans immediately launch into their own “celebratory” dirge, once again reminding him of his slip against Chelsea last season. It was a good goal. Gerrard played a pass out to Sterling on the left and drove forward. Sterling’s cross was only half-cleared by Morgan as far as Gerrard, who made no mistake from 15 yards. After a promising start to the second half, Leicester have been put back in their box.
GOAL! Leicester 1-2 Liverpool (Gerrard 55)
Steven Gerrard starts and finishes a move that ends with him shooting low into the bottom right-hand corner from about 15 yards after Liverpool had carved open the Leicester defence.
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52 min: Was it a cross? Was it a shot? I’m not sure, but De Laet’s low drive elicits a loud “oooh!” from the home crowd. Sadly for him, it’s intercepted.
51 min: Six minutes into the second half and Leicester continue to apply the pressure, presumably having been told at half-time that this match is there for the taking and that they should take it.
50 min: Richie de Laet tries to play a ball into space behind Glen Johnson for Jeff Schlupp to chase, but the full-back does well to contain the situation and clear.
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49 min: Leicester advance down the inside-right channel, with Matty James trying to play in Esteban Cambiasso. He over-cooks his pass and Liverpool clear.
48 min: Leicester are tearing into Liverpool early in this second half and the visitors are struggling to cope with their approach, which is effective, but fairly unsophisticated. Get the ball out to the flanks, then send crosses in towards the strikers.
47 min: Liverpool made a change at half-time, taking off their right-back Javier Manquillo and replacing him with Alberto Moreno.
Second half: Great start from Leicester, who immediately winning a corner by lumping the ball forward and hoping Martin Skrtel will make a dogs breakfast of dealing with it. He duly obliges. From that corner, Liverpool clear, but Leicester send the ball back with interest and win another one. Rickie Lambert is back to clear.
Half-time: The sides go in all square at half-time after an entertaining, fairly attritional and occasionally scrappy game. Liverpool goalkeeper Leonardo Ulloa needed the assistance of Simon Mignolet to open the scoring for Leicester shortly after Esteban Cambiasso had missed an opportunity gifted to him by the Belgian goalkeeper’s less-than-nifty footwork. Liverpool equalised within five minutes, courtesy of a sharp strike from Adam Lallana.
45+1min: A decent shooting opportunity for Liverpool from distance goes begging, after a mix-up between Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling means the former misplaces a pass to the latter on the edge of the Leicester penalty area.
44 min: Leonardo Ulloa picks up the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the final third. He’s promptly forced back towards the halfway line, as Glen Johnson refuses to let him turn.
42 min: Lucas clatters Leonardo Ulloa and concedes a free-kick, but avoids a booking.
39 min: From the ensuing Leicester free-kick, Liverpool clear and Raheem Sterling picks up the ball about 10 yards inside the Leicester half and gallops towards goal. In a one-on-one with Paul Konchesky, he continues his sprint, advances into the penalty area and tires. He goes to ground under pressure from the back-pedalling Leicester defenders.
38 min: Lallana fouls Vardy wide on the left touchline, deep in Liverpool territory. The Liverpool player is booked for his trouble.
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36 min: Ulloa crosses to the edge of the Liverpool penalty area, where Mahrez volleys the ball high into the inky black night sky.
34 min: “I heard a good point made about Mignolet and Liverpool’s bad back four,” writes Anthony O’Connell. “Basically they need a new number one as the back four have zero confidence in Mignolet.”
It’s one theory, but you could also argue that Mignoelt is probably making lots of mistakes because he has zero confidence in the back four. I suppose replacing him rather than them would be a lot cheaper and a lot less hassle. None of them have been covering themselves in glory, so I’m not sure any of the players involved are entitled to point fingers.
33 min: Liverpool corner, which is sent into the penalty area. Skrtel climbs and sends a powerful header goalwards, but Richie de Laet is on hand to hack the ball clear.
30 min: Rickie Lambert is wrestled to the ground by Marcus Wasilewski as he attempts to chase a loose ball sent towards the corner. He appeals for a free-kick, but doesn’t get one. To be fair, the Liverpool striker was also fairly hands on in that tussle.
28 min: More on that equaliser: Liverpool won a free-kick in the Leicester left-back position. Steven Gerrard swung it into the mixer and the ball was cleared as far as Lucas, who sent it back with interest. Rickie Lambert won the knock-down and Lallana pounced to shoot past Schmeichel.
GOAL! Leicester 1-1 Liverpool (Lallana 26)
Adam Lallana restores parity for Liverpool, less than five minutes after the Premier League’s bottom side had gone ahead. He reacted quickly to fire home low and and hard from about 10 yards after Rickie Lambert had caused havoc in the Leicester penalty area while trying to get on the end of a long ball slung in by Lucas.
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23 min: That was bizarre passage of play. After almost costing his side a goal, Mignolet pulled off a fine save after Leicester attacked courtesy of Riyad Mahrez. He picked out Jamie Vardy in the penalty area and the forward’s shot was half-saved by Mignolet, then headed off the line by Skrtel. Ulloa latched on to the panicked clearance and shot, only to hit the post and see his effort roll in off the back of the Liverpool goalkeeper.
GOAL! Leicester City 1-0 Liverpool (Mignolet 22og)
Leonardo Ulloa rifles a shot off the upright, which ricochets on to the back of Simon Mignolet and rolls into the Liverpool goal. He did very well to keep the ball in play there, then shot past Kolo Toure’s outstretched foot, saw his shot ping off the post, hit Mignolet’s back and roll into the goal.
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19 min: Cambiasso slots the ball wide of a half-empty Liverpool goal from just outside outside the penalty area after a dreadful mistake from Simon Mignolet. The Argentinain had approximately half the goal to aim at as the Liverpool goalkeeper scrambled back into position after sending a wayward pass meant for Martin Skrtel straight to the Leicester midfielder.
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17 min: A mistake from Martin Skrtel, who is outmuscled by Jeff Schlupp, enabling the Leicester left-winger to advance on goal and unleash a low diagonal drive. Lucas Leiva does well to get back and cover for his centre-half, blocking the shot and putting the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
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15 min: Liverpool force Leicester back and Wes Morgan gives the ball away under pressure. Gerrard plays the ball low towards Lallana in the right channel and he attempts to pick out Sterling. The youngster’s touch is leaden-footed and the ball rolls wide.
14 min: Raheem Sterling is already giving Richie De Laet plenty to think about. The Leicester full-back slides in with a late tackle, but gets away with it on this occasion.
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11 min: Cambiasso, Matty James and Leonardo Ulloa combine well on the edge of the final third, before Liverpool mug them of possession and Steven Gerrard tries to release Rickie Lambert into a pocket of space between Leicester’s two banks of four.
8 min: A Lllana shot is blocked in the Leicester area and the home side break on a counter-attack. Vardy takes on Kolo Toure and shoots from distance. His low drive goes well wide.
7 min: As the Leicester faithful use the medium of loud song to remind Steven Gerrard of a well-documented misfortune to befall him towards the end of last season, the Liverpool captain whips the ball towards the near post.
Martin Skrtel gets his head to hit, but his weak header goes wide off a Leicester defender. Skrtel appeals for a penalty, Liverpool should get a corner, but the referee awards a goal-kick.
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6 min: Liverpool advance from their own half into Leicester’s courtesy of a speedy break led by Adam Lallana through the centre. The ball’s pinged towards Sterling, who beats Richie de Laet for speed. The full-back takes down Sterling and Liverpool get themselves a free in a decent position.
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4 min: Leicester win the first corner kick of the match and the ball’s punched towards Jamie Vardy at the near post. Liverpool clear. The ball’s hoisted back in to the penalty area, where Marcus Wasilewski heads it towards the edge of the six yard box. Still up, having lumbered forward for the corner, Wes Morgan is unable to advance it towards goal.
4 min: Scrappy fare so far, with a succession of throw-ins to each team being awarded early doors.
3 min: Glen Johnson takes a throw-in for Liverpool halfway inside his own half. Move along, nothing to see here.
2 min: Gerrard is playing the furthest forward of Liverpool’s midfield trio and will presumably link up with an attack comprised of Raheem Sterling on the left, Adam Lallana on the right and Rickie Lambert in the middle.
1 min: Liverpool kick-off, playing from right to left and immediately hoof the ball out for a throw-in. The hosts are lining up with a 4-4-2, with Esteban Cambiasso and Matty James in the centre of a midfield that will be taking on a Liverpool trio of Lucas, Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson.
Not long now: The teams are lined up in the tunnel of the King Power Stadium and walk out ... cue: the music.
An email from Peter Oh: “I don’t believe in karma but I admit that seeing the name ‘Konchesky’ in the Leicester starting eleven briefly conjured up the headline ‘Former Liverpool punching bag scores match winner with his coupon’,” he writes. “I suppressed that image with the power of positive thinking. Glen Johnson’s coupon to win the second game on the trot!”
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Brendan Rodgers speaks: Asked to explain the thinking behind his team selection, the Liverpool manager says that Jose Enrique has a knee injury that has to be managed, Philippe Coutinho picked up “a wee bit of a knock” that ‘s keeping him out of the starting line-up.
On the subject of Steven Gerrard’s mulling over his new contract, he says: “The guy deserves the utmost respect. It’\s more than just a football decision, it’s about life. He’s a good guy, still a big talent and just at the stage of his career where we have to manage his games.”
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On BT Sport: Punditry’s Steve McManaman has the inside the track. As a Liverpool old boy, he’s been talking to some of the club’s backroom staff and they’ve told him they have earmarked this match as one they want to win. No, really.
Leicester City v Liverpool - line-ups
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Wasilewski, Konchesky, Mahrez, James, Cambiasso, Schlupp, Ulloa, Vardy.
Subs: Drinkwater, King, Albrighton, Hamer, Moore, Knockaert, Wood.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Manquillo, Toure, Skrtel, Johnson,
Henderson, Gerrard, Lucas, Sterling, Lambert, Lallana.
Subs: Brad Jones, Lovren, Coutinho, Moreno, Can, Allen, Markovic.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Leicester City v Liverpool team news
Nigel Pearson fields the same starting eleven that lost against QPR on Saturday afternoon, while Brendan Rodgers makes three changes to the Liverpool side that laboured to victory against Stoke City at Anfield.
Jose Enrique makes way for Javier Manquillo at right-back, while Joe Allen and Philippe Coutinho are relegated to the bench in favour of Steven Gerrard and Adam Lallana. I’ll post the full line-ups with substitutes just as soon as they appear on the wires.
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to this evening’s minute-by-minute coverage of Leicester City’s Premier League set-to with Liverpool at the King Power Stadium. If speculation is to be believed, tonight’s match pits one under-pressure manager against another, with both Nigel Pearson and Brendan Rodgers believed to be in danger of getting the boot unless there is an upturn in the fortunes of their respective sides. Rodgers earned hismelf some wriggle-room with a win over Stoke City last weekend, while Pearson’s side lost 3-2 at QPR, continuing a run of eight Premier League matches without a win for the Foxes in which they’ve secured just two points.
“My job is to manage this football club in good times and bad times,” said Pearson yesterday. “It’s not about just enjoying the good time. We are currently having a bad time but we need to work through it. The owners have been like this throughout my entire time. They are private people and will do what they think is right for the football club. I’m no different to anyone at the football club – they will do what is right. They will not all of a sudden be in the public domain, we try and do our business as a football club in a way that is appropriate to us. In the peaks and troughs there will never be much of a public voice from the club.”
