Liverpool 3-1 Leicester: Salah wrapped up the win but Gakpo produced a masterclass this time
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Liverpool have a habit of writing a song about weathering the storm. They had to get through the fog here and got lost when Leicester City took the lead. But they finished seven clean points at the top of the Premier League, with the added advantage of having a game in hand against second-placed Chelsea.
Returns were destined to be Jurgen Klopp’s strong suit, even if his good fortune continued where it left off. As striker Curtis Jones said, Klopp laid the foundations for Liverpool’s good fortune “and Arne Slot chased after him. ” Liverpool’s praise for counterattacking in Klopp Traditionally earned its 22nd victory in 26 games under the Dutchman. In a department where so many others are consistently inconsistent, Liverpool stand out as the exception to the rule.
It helps that they have a significant number of winners. Although Mohamed Salah crowned the poster, he also completed the victory by relying on a shot to score the goal that had eluded him earlier when he made a good save and then hit the crossbar. However, the fit came through Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones, a duo who started the season on the bench and likely wouldn’t make Slot’s first-choice squad. “It’s great to have so many options,” Slot said. Gakpo emerges as one of the most attractive, joining Salah and the rested Luis Díaz in double figures for the season with a superlative draw. An assist means he now contributes on average a goal every 98 minutes this season.
His equalizer had a specific cruelty to the defeated coach. Gakpo took a step forward during his six months under Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV Eindhoven. He rewarded it by nullifying Leicester’s merit with a goal that condemned an influence of his career to a night in the relegation zone. Not that Gakpo’s goal, a very good shot from 25 meters, turns out to come from Van Nistelrooy’s repertoire: he scored few goals from outside the penalty area. But it was a surprising punchline. ” It’s something he practices a lot in training,” Salah said. And it brought a change of course that Liverpool had threatened.
Liverpool produced the right response when trailing, neither panicking nor being too passive when allowed plenty of possession. Sometimes pressure tells, and this was one such occasion. Leicester showed a doggedness to hold on to their advantage for as long as they did. The timing of Liverpool’s leveller was significant. “Crucial,” Slot said. “That lifted us up and in the second half we kept on going.”
Some of their recent matches may have been more eventful than he would have liked. Liverpool have now conceded nine goals in their last four league games. Without Jamie Vardy, sitting it out with a minor injury, Leicester soon struck anyway. Jordan Ayew met Stephy Mavididi’s low cross, then spun, leaving Andy Robertson turning in the wrong direction, before beating Alisson at his near post. “One moment where we underestimated the situation that led to a chance and a goal,” rued Slot. “You have to work really hard to come back into the game.”
Still, Liverpool were relentless. They had a lot of crosses and corner kicks. Premier League debutant Jakub Stolarczyk, replacing Danny Ward, stopped Salah at point-blank range in the 3rd minute. The woodwork was overworked. Robertson headed the post from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross. Salah shot off the crossbar.
Gakpo then equalized on a pass from Mac Allister. The World Cup winner received two assists in a matter of minutes, on both sides of the half, following a series of overlaps when his cut deflected through Jones; As with the Argentine’s goal at Tottenham on Sunday, Liverpool were rewarded for putting two of their central midfielders in the box at the same time. “I liked the second goal,” Slot said. It’s a team goal. “Jones scored in his 100th Premier League appearance and received a congratulatory message from Klopp.
The scoring ended when Gakpo swept the ball down the right flank and Salah fired in for his 19th goal of the season and 100th Premier League home goal.
Liverpool might have scored more goals earlier if not for the whims of Darwin Nunez. He was offside when Gakpo fired, interfering with play on a night when few of his interventions went well for Liverpool; It is certainly not a shot placed over the crossbar.
And in his quest for a third goal, Slot brought on Dominik Szoboszlai, who then got the booking that will bring a ban. He will not play at West Ham on Sunday but Liverpool will go there with a commanding lead in the title race.
Meanwhile, Leicester will host long-suffering Manchester City. They had allowed 82 shots to their warring sides in Van Nistelrooy’s first 4 games and scored an unwanted century in the fifth. In his home Holland he disputed the name with Slot. Es possible that he is now destined for Liverpool. “It’s too early to have fun,” Slot said, cautious as ever. But at this rate, Liverpool will be celebrating in May.
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