Liverpool vs. Leicester City: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Christian Benteke bagged the winner as Liverpool beat Premier League leaders Leicester City on Saturday at Anfield.
Following a scoreless first half that saw Benteke enter as a substitute for the injured Divock Origi, Liverpool went ahead in the 63rd minute via the Belgian's fine, sliding finish.
The result took Liverpool up to 27 points through 18 matches, five points off the top four. Leicester remained atop the table but could fall to second if Arsenal win at Southampton later Saturday.
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner and Loser: Christian Benteke
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Christian Benteke scored the winner in the 63rd minute, applying a fine finish to a Roberto Firmino cross. The goal will give the Liverpool striker some much-needed confidence, not least because it broke a scoring drought that dated back to Oct. 31.
In addition, the sliding strike showed off one of Benteke's main strengths, as ESPN writer Michael Caley noted on Twitter:
"No one is the EPL is better than Benteke at finishing half- and quarter-chances in the box," Caley tweeted.
And yet, Benteke's overall performance left plenty to be desired. Though the Belgian is a good finisher of half-chances in the box, he also has his faults, some of which were on display Saturday.
Most glaringly, Benteke on multiple occasions was too slow to make decisions with the ball at his feet. That was no more true than in stoppage time, when Liverpool attacked quickly to catch Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel—who had moved forward in a last-ditch attack—out of his box. Benteke had the ball and plenty of time to fire into the open net, but he took too long and allowed the chance to pass.
Scoring a goal meant this was a good day for Benteke, but the big striker has plenty of room for improvement.
Loser: Divock Origi's Luck
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Liverpool goalscorer Christian Benteke wasn't a starter, instead coming on as a 38th-minute substitute for Divock Origi. Manager Jurgen Klopp had to make the change because of an injury to Origi, and that was rotten luck for the young striker.
Up to that point, Origi had put in a strong shift at the top of Liverpool's formation. The 20-year-old Belgian made several good runs down the flanks, troubling Leicester with his strength and quickness on the ball.
All he lacked was a goal, and if he hadn't been injured, Origi seemed likely to find the back of the net at some point. Now, however, he faces a potential layoff due to injury.
Winner: Simon Mignolet
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Simon Mignolet has his critics (and deservedly so), but the Liverpool man has just become the first Premier League goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet against Leicester City this season.
The Belgian stopper made a key intervention in the 74th minute, keeping out Nathan Dyer's redirection from a long throw by Christian Fuchs. It was an excellent reaction save that ensured Liverpool took the three points.
Loser: Leicester's Scoring Streak
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Heading into Boxing Day's action, Leicester City were the only Premier League side to have scored in every match this season. Not coincidentally, the Foxes sat atop the table, two points clear of Arsenal.
That run ended on Saturday, with Liverpool becoming the first Premier League team to shut Leicester City out. And now, one has to wonder whether this is just a wobble or the start of something else.
The Premier League's holiday schedule is a gauntlet for any team, but it looks especially difficult for Leicester. After back-to-back trips to Merseyside (a win over Everton and a loss to Liverpool), the Foxes now have to play Manchester City on Tuesday.
Victory in that game would suggest that this result is just an aberration, but another defeat could be the start of the decline that many pundits have predicted.
"We have to move on," defender Danny Simpson said, per BBC Sport. "We have got another big game in three days. We don't like to lose and that hurt us but I think we will turn it into a positive."
Winner: Liverpool's Premier League Push
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Liverpool, on the other hand, have to be optimistic after this win. This season has seen its share of ups and downs, but after winning this match, the Reds are just two points behind Manchester United and three points off a European place.
Jurgen Klopp's men secured this result, in part, by physically matching Leicester City's incredible work rate. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez weren't nearly as dangerous as usual, and the Foxes weren't able to counter as often or as ominously as they would like.
"The last few weeks were hard for us. We didn't get the results we wanted but today we showed great character," goalscorer Christian Benteke said, per BBC Sport.
Benteke added: "We have to keep going and work hard. This league this year is really strong and we have to work hard to reach our goal."
Up next is a trip to Sunderland on Wednesday, followed by a visit to West Ham United in a week's time. After beating the league leaders, Klopp and Co. now need to match this performance on their travels.
