MO SALAH SCORED twice as Liverpool came from behind to maintain their push for a Champions League place with 2-1 victory over Leicester on Saturday.
Jamie Vardy put Leicester ahead but Liverpool, who had new £75 million ($100 million) signing Vigil van Dijk watching from the Anfield stands, fought back after the interval to secure the points.
Salah was again instrumental for Jurgen Klopp’s side as he took his tally to 17 Premier League goals this season with two fine finishes.
Liverpool, who remain fourth, are four points clear of fifth placed Tottenham.
Klopp’s goalkeeper rotation policy saw Loris Karius start ahead of Simon Mignolet, who dropped to the bench, and after just three minutes the German was forced to pick the ball out of the net.
Joel Matip’s timid pass from the back sold Emre Can short and Vicente Iborra’s sharpness saw him steal possession and quickly release Riyad Mahrez down the right flank.
The Algeria winger glided past left-back Andrew Robertson and his teasing low cross was met by Vardy, who showed his penalty box predatory instincts to nip in front of Matip and finish.
It was Vardy’s 10th goal of the season in all competitions as he again scored against a top-six club having netted previously in matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and both Manchester clubs.
Liverpool shook off their sluggishness and should have equalised moments after Vardy’s opener when Salah was found by Sadio Mane only to get his angles wrong and drag a shot wide from eight yards.
Philippe Coutinho stung the palms of Kasper Schmeichel with a long-range effort while Mane had the ball in the net from Robertson’s cross only to be correctly flagged offside.
Liverpool continued to threaten the visitors’ goal from distance with Joe Gomez and Roberto Firmino both going close before the break.
Where Salah had snatched at some of his chances in the first half, his composure early in the second period saw him equalise for the home side.
- Pinpoint finish -
Seven minutes after the interval the Egypt international chased Mane’s clever backheel into the penalty area before his close control took him past Daniel Amartey on to his favoured left foot.
With the Kop screaming for the net to bulge, Salah took a moment then arrowed a pinpoint finish through the legs of Schmeichel.
An unsavoury incident followed as Firmino, eager to get the ball for Leicester to kick-off, and Harry Maguire grappled inside the goalmouth before referee Neil Swarbrick stepped in.
Mane had the ball in the net again just after the hour, but again he was in an offside position.
Leicester’s chances were more fleeting although Karius breathed a sigh of relief when Wilfred Ndidi’s sweetly struck shot following a corner whistled past the post.
Salah was to prove the difference between the two sides, though, when he added his and Liverpool’s second to put the Reds in front with 14 minutes remaining.
Firmino rolled the ball in to James Milner and his clever flick slipped in Salah. Milner looked for the return pass, but Salah had other ideas.
The 25-year-old showed his strength to roll the otherwise faultless Maguire before he clinically dispatched the ball past Schmeichel.
Leicester piled on the pressure in the remainder of the game but this time Liverpool’s defence stood up to the job and held on to clinch the three points.
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Carty was brilliant, perfect off the tee, and the difference for me tonight. It was summed up in one passage for me. He hit a quality 50:22, and from the resulting line out hit a penalty which made it a two point that Treviso never got back from. Murray’s run, and Boyle and Prendergast at the fringes: quality too.
*Two score game. Pardon me.
@David Hickey: when he’s ON,,he is box office, average exiting player
@rugbyanbeer: typo a very exciting player
@David Hickey: a lot of Irish rugby fans see Carty play 6 times a year. Interpros. And are oblivious to a lot of his clutch stuff beyond that. Which is a shame. (Same for a few other Connacht and Ulster players). He was quality earlier, a clinic at 10.
@Cathal Carr: Curate’s egg. Have to take the penalty he kicked dead into account when assessing him.
@TL55: two bad touch finders in two weeks unfortunately
@mike ryan: if carty was a better points kicker he would be on the Irish team.
It’s the one weak point of his game but unfortunately is a big part of what is needed to be an international 10
@Reg Gordon:
Can none of the back three kick like in other National teams?
@David Hickey: what annoys me is Carty is always judged by his odd bad moment. Where as certain other 10′s are judged by their odd good moments and praised as the next best thing for years on end…as a Connacht fan I’m not saying he should be in the Irish squad…just saying that there are others ahead of him who have been bang average for years but can seem to do no wrong and given multiple opportunities to play themselves into form.
@Breandán Ó Cadhain: that’s very true. Plus with him rarely being injured he’s in the shop window much more than others. He looks a little low on confidence tho at the minute
@Breandán Ó Cadhain:As a Munster fan I agree with your take on Carthy Joey had a horror show for the first twenty last night ended up close to MOTM. A good sixty minutes doesn’t make up for a bad twenty
@Breandán Ó Cadhain:
There is also context as well… Connacht were having a bad time converting penalty line outs. Jack was trying to get the on the 5 meter line as he knew 8-9m would probably be too much for them. It is about risk, he knew what he was doing and why he was doing it… Other Irish sides have a much higher score rate and can convert from 8-9m…
Saying that, Carty’s pass for the first try is as fine a pass you will see this year. That what makes him different…
Good win but still lots of mistakes. But well done some great training pitch plans. Boyle was amazing and Hansen is so good. Onwards and upwards!
@Prof. William Joyce: yeah it was a good win but a better team would have crucified us in the first half. We were but the bounce of a ball from disarray a few times
5-0 on the table the most important thing but plenty didn’t go right either, would of been nice to increase the points difference a bit, don’t know how Boyle held that up over the line, deserved his motm