Player ratings as Reds avoid panic to go seven points clear

Liverpool avoided an early scare to beat Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield on Boxing Day.

There was a real risk that the final Premier League the Boxing Day game would not be played. A pea-soup fog befitting post-war London hung over Anfield like a Christmas guest unwilling to leave.

As bad as the visibility was, Andy Robertson couldn’t blame the adverse weather conditions when he lost his grip on Jordan Ayew in the build-up to Leicester’s unexpected opener. The defender under fire it was left spinning the wrong way due to Ayew’s sharp pivot that fired into the bottom corner in the middle of the fog immediately after the sixth minute.

It was a Leicester side languishing in the relegation zone, a Leicester side that had conceded 82 shots in their previous four games, a Leicester side missing their talismanic striker Jamie Vardy and the club’s player of the season so far, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. However, the leading players of the Premier League were behind by the time of the first half.

When Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV Eindhoven beat Arne Sloto’s Feyenoord in the Eredivisie two years ago, Cody Gakpo was involved in all four goals for the winners that day. The Dutch striker proved to be decisive again – but for a different coach. Gakpo cut in from the left flank with his stronger right foot and deflected the ball away Leicestergoalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk’s third choice for the Reds’ equalizer on the threshold of half-time.

Not even four minutes had passed in the second half when Curtis Jones fired Liverpool into the lead. It took almost as long for the scrutinized numbers at Stockley Park to validate the close-range strike that came at the end of a suffocating spell for the hosts. Liverpool’s centre-back duo, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, were both sneaking into Leicester’s box – which was packed with six other red shirts – when Jones struck.

Liverpool after that they tightened the competition. Leicester barely dared to leave their own half after the break, pressed to within an inch of their lives by the emboldened league leaders. Cody Gakpo had his second of the night ruled out by a three-minute VAR check, but Mohamed Salah always hit the back of the net. Latching on to a pass from his Dutch counterpart, Liverpool’s soon-to-be free agent put his current employers 3-1 up in the 82nd minute.

Leicester’s last shot of the game was in the tenth minute. The struggling visitors ended up in the relegation zone the day after Wolves’ earlier win over Manchester Unitedwhile Liverpool increased their advantage at the top of the Premier League to as many as seven points.

*Ratings are provided by FotMob*

Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Jarell Quansah, Federico Chiesa, Luis Diaz.

*Ratings are provided by FotMob*

Unused substitutes: Daniel Iversen (GK), Hamza Choudhury, Luke Thomas, Will Alves, Odsonne Edouard.

Man of the match – Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)

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