Liverpool Maintain Perfect Start

If you ignored the action on the pitch and just watched Jurgen Klopp on the touchline, you would never know that he was the manager of the victorious team.

That’s because Klopp knows his side got away with one at the King Power Stadium. Liverpool started the game in a manner that suggested they would humiliate Leicester, but ended it clinging on to a one-goal lead.

Goals from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were ultimately enough for Liverpool, but after Leicester pulled one back through Rachid Ghezzal, the victory was more slender than it should have been. The Premier League leaders’ performance was riddled with inconsistencies; at full-time the cheer from the away end felt more like relief than jubilation.

Liverpool should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Mohamed Salah put a simple chance wide, but did go ahead five minutes later. Andrew Robertson bounced off a challenge from Roberto Pereira on the left and played into the area for Mane who, after a favourable bounce, stabbed a decisive finish past Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester were the better team for much of the rest of the half, though, taking advantage of a one-paced Liverpool midfield in which Jordan Henderson had replaced Naby Keita. But the hosts couldn’t break through, thanks to some wayward shooting and terrific goalkeeping by Alisson.

And just before the break, Liverpool made it two in startlingly simple fashion. James Milner swung over a corner from the right and Firmino was there, at best semi-marked, to head home from about 10 yards.

The theme continued after half-time. Liverpool’s unusually slack passing had put them in trouble a couple of times and it felt like a matter of time before they would be punished. When they were, it was entirely of their own making.

Alisson had the ball at his feet, to the right of goal, and when pressed by substitute Kelechi Iheanacho the Liverpool goalkeeper tried to escape with a Cruyff turn. The forward dispossessed him and squared to Ghezzal, who forced home. The spirit of Loris Karius lives on in the Liverpool goal.

Leicester might have found an equaliser before the end, but Liverpool managed to keep their lead and make it 12 points from 12. Just.