Liverpool came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day, avoiding an early scare.
There was real uncertainty about whether the final Premier League match of the day would go ahead, as thick fog enveloped Anfield, reminiscent of a post-war London scene. Despite the poor visibility, Andy Robertson couldn’t blame the weather when he lost track of Jordan Ayew in the build-up to Leicester’s surprise opener. Ayew spun away from Robertson and fired the ball into the bottom corner in the sixth minute, putting Leicester ahead.
Leicester, struggling in the relegation zone and missing key players like Jamie Vardy and Mads Hermansen, had conceded 82 shots in their last four matches. Despite this, it was the Premier League leaders who found themselves trailing until first-half stoppage time.
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Cody Gakpo, who had once been involved in all four goals in a PSV Eindhoven victory two years ago, proved crucial again. Cutting inside from the left, he curled the ball past Leicester’s third-choice goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to equalize just before halftime.
The second half saw Liverpool take control quickly. Curtis Jones gave them the lead just four minutes after the break, with his close-range tap-in following a sustained period of pressure. A brief VAR check confirmed the goal, as Liverpool’s defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were among the six red shirts crowding Leicester’s penalty area.
From there, Liverpool asserted their dominance. Leicester barely managed to break out of their own half as they were relentlessly pressed by the Reds. Gakpo had a second goal disallowed after a lengthy VAR review, but Mohamed Salah made no mistake in the 82nd minute. He latched onto a pass from Gakpo and calmly slotted Liverpool into a 3-1 lead.
Leicester’s last shot came in the tenth minute, and they ended the day in the relegation zone following Wolves’ victory over Manchester United. Meanwhile, Liverpool extended their lead at the Premier League summit to a commanding seven points.