Leicester vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Leicester City remained top of the Premier League thanks to a 2-0 victory at home over Liverpool on Tuesday night.
The away side dominated possession for long stretches but were unable to capitalise by creating clear chances, and it was Simon Mignolet who was the busier goalkeeper, saving from Riyad Mahrez in the first half, which ended goalless. The game was won on the hour mark by an outrageous 30-yard lob from Jamie Vardy, who then added a second 10 minutes later to wrap up the victory.
Here are all our winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Jamie Vardy
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To nobody's surprise, Jamie Vardy is our first winner.
The striker hit an outrageous half-volley from range, on the run, to open the scoring in the match, and it was a symbol of his confidence and self-belief that he even attempted it, let alone caught it perfectly to lob the goalkeeper and find the back of the net.
Two strikes take Vardy to 18 for the season in the Premier League, and his non-stop running behind the defence gave Liverpool problems all night.
Loser: Alberto Moreno, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren
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Speaking of which...as a unit and as individuals, the back line simply failed to cope with Leicester.
Liverpool's back four all made individual errors in possession, while only Nathaniel Clyne can reasonably escape criticism for decision-making, positional work and failing to win important duels at key moments in and around the penalty box.
Alberto Moreno will get particularly scathing comments aimed his way after wasting two or three promising positions in attack as well as failing defensively, but Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren were similarly shambolic and stuttering at times.
Winner: Claudio Ranieri
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Claudio Ranieri put his full-strength team out and was rewarded with energy, endeavour, confidence and organisation—and the three points, of course.
The Italian manager continues to get every last ounce of effort from his players, no shortage of quality and a reliable defensive structure which absorbed rather easily the sustained spells of possession and pressure that Liverpool managed to mount throughout the first hour of the game.
Once the Foxes were ahead, there was only one winner, thanks to improved ball retention thereafter from the home side.
Loser: Klopp...or Benteke?
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Jurgen Klopp cut a frustrated figure on the touchline in the second half as his team probed and pushed and looked for openings, yet barely tested Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal whatsoever.
While the team laboured around the edge of the box and Emre Can and co. sent any number of shots wildly off target, Christian Benteke looked on from the subs bench and was only brought on once the team were behind. There was to be no repeat of his Anfield heroics against the same opposition, as the Belgian did everything but fall over the ball with a series of miscontrolled touches and lax passes.
Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho are back in training this week, and they can't become available for the manager soon enough.
Winner: N'Golo Kante
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Leicester's general and ball-winner in the midfield area, N'Golo Kante simply roved around the middle third of the pitch stealing back possession, blocking off Liverpool's passing lanes and winning free-kicks as he surged out of reach of the away players, who inevitably had to try to haul him back.
Kante was effective without being stunning, did everything effortlessly and with purpose and was an outlet for his team when they needed to relieve pressure.
He is, indeed, the type of destructive presence and athletic out-ball that Liverpool could do with themselves in midfield...but Kante is a perfect fit for where he is right now: top of the Premier League.
