CURTIS JONES FIRED Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as the title favourites survived a scare in their 3-1 win against struggling Leicester on Thursday.
Arne Slot’s side were shocked by Jordan Ayew’s early strike at Anfield, but the leaders recovered their composure to equalise just before the interval through Cody Gakpo.
England midfielder Jones marked his 100th top-flight appearance with the second goal soon after half-time.
Mohamed Salah’s 19th goal this term wrapped up Liverpool’s 11th win in their last 13 games in all competitions.
Liverpool’s comeback lifted them seven points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who were beaten 2-1 by Fulham earlier in the day.
The rampant Reds, who hold a game in hand on Chelsea, have been beaten just once in 17 league matches this season.
They have won 22 of their 26 games in all competitions in a remarkable run since Slot arrived from Feyenoord in the close-season to replace Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp led Liverpool to their last Premier League title in 2020 and Slot has them perfectly positioned to emulate that feat in the second half of the season.
Also through to the League Cup semi-finals and top of the Champions League, Liverpool, who travel to West Ham for their last match of the year on Sunday, will go into 2025 in contention of an unprecedented quadruple.
Third-bottom Leicester are one point from safety after a third consecutive defeat.
Salah nearly gave Liverpool the perfect start as his close-range effort smacked the post.
But on a night when Anfield was surrounded by a murky mist, Liverpool’s defence was lost in the fog in the sixth minute.
- Relentless pressure -
Stephy Mavididi surged away down the left wing and whipped in a low cross which Ayew controlled adroitly before spinning to smash a low shot past Alisson Becker at his near post.
Liverpool’s defence was unusually lax in the early stages and Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss was left unmarked for a volley that whistled over.
But the tide soon turned and Darwin Nunez met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross with a header that was deflected behind before Salah’s chipped effort looped onto the roof of the net.
Andrew Robertson was inches away from equalising when the Liverpool defender’s header cannoned off the post.
Slot’s men were pouring forward in waves and Salah’s curler ricocheted off the crossbar just before half-time.
Gakpo ensured Liverpool would be rewarded for their relentless pressure on the stroke of half-time as the Dutch forward stroked a superb strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Gakpo’s 10th goal in all competitions this season was a familiar sight for Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who coached him during their time at PSV Eindhoven.
Leicester haven’t won at Anfield in the Premier League since 2000 and their hopes of a historic victory were in tatters just four minutes into the second half.
Sweeping into the Leicester area in a blur of pace and movement, Salah and Alexis Mac Allister teed up Jones to slot home from close range, with the goal surviving a lengthy VAR check for a potential offside.
Patson Daka couldn’t convert Mavididi’s cross as Leicester mounted a rare raid before Nunez saw his blast pushed away by Leicester ‘keeper Jakub Stolarczyk.
Salah put the final flourish on Liverpool’s stirring fightback, cutting in from the right flank to guide a fine finish into the far corner in the 82nd minute.
Nevermind the question is Salah the player in the Premiership, question should be is he the best player in the world currently?
Answer is, yes boy!
Cody mayby my fave player now after IK even when 1 down i was so confident
@Shanie: gapko is not getting anywhere near the credit he deserves,he’s as likely to score in games now as Salah,and yes when they concede first there’s no panic they stick to the plan and get the job done,il say this again whoever it was first identified slot deserves as much of the credit for what happening on the field.
Wow, another perfect day!!!
La La La La
VAR tried it’s best …… But the quality and class was too much for it. I’m still of the opinion TAA can leave and won’t be missed! Plenty will disagree.
@David Shepherd: I think he’d be far more missed if there wasn’t a tremendous talent in Bradley in waiting behind him. Trent offers something unique but Bradley is more rounded and has enormous potential. I’d be more concerned about left back to be honest.
@David Shepherd: dont forget the irish trent he is going to be a star
@Daire O’Reilly: Bradley can defend…. TAA the whole world knows he can’t …..
@Raymond Darcy: looks class, can’t wait to see him get a chance.
Dying for Danns to get a proper run in the team aswell…The future is bright, the future is Red!
@damien leen: Nunez is like flogging a dead horse and expecting to win a life changing race ……. Danns all day long before him
@Raymond Darcy: I agree Bradley will be one of the best if not the best
@David Shepherd: trent kone dorethy from derry
@damien leen: needs to cut his hair lol
@David Shepherd: Yup…love Nunez, honesty of effort is there, but he’s there to score goals and he ain’t…Glorious opportunity to stake his claim in that team with Jota out and he didn’t, Slot might not be saying it but after that I think he’s made his mind up.
Danns deserves a run, he’s hungry. If Nunez does go they will bring in a replacement, Isak is out of reach I think so I would go for Cunha, love that guy!
@Raymond Darcy: both of them lol
@Raymond Darcy: But yea, TKD is performing consistently now, won’t be long before he breaks into that senior squad.
@Daire O’Reilly: Robertson not in good form at all this season, another goal that he would never have conceded two seasons ago. Would love Liverpool to try sign Robinson off Fulham. Gakpo is a player transformed but Nunez really is not good enough to start
Lovely. Job done now on to the next
Hon Da Pool!
It’s beginning to look a lot like 20!
3pts on to the next! I wouldn’t kick fellow football fans at this time of the year!
Another bad day for Paul.
@Graham: still waiting for us to lose so he can gloat
Just watching match of the day is gary lineiker ok
@Shanie: Must be very sick