City 2 Liverpool 0
Report by Chris Griffin
After 24 games Leicester notched up 50 points for the season following a hard fought but totally deserved win over Liverpool. Another clean sheet means City has only conceded five goals in the last 12 games in contrast to the 21 goals conceded in the first 12.
City enjoyed the best of the opening third of the game. Mahrez cut inside and saw his low, curling drive pass the outside of the post with Mignolet scrambling to cover. Then Mahrez miskicked a shooting opportunity following a penetrating run and cross from Vardy. Next Drinkwater dispossessed a casual Henderson in midfield, launched Vardy down the left. His cross was met by an Okazaki header at point blank range which Mignolet brilliantly, twisting and changing direction to get a firm glove to the ball.
Despite the opportunities the goal would not come. Liverpool settled and enjoyed more possession and territory down the flanks, especially the left where Moreno frequently supported from left back. Schmeichel made a superb point blank save but the linesman’s flag was up for offside anyway. Kanté lost possession in midfield leading to another opportunity but Huth and Morgan covered the danger. Milner then slalomed into the City penalty and set up Lucas who blazed wide.
Liverpool had the momentum for the last part of the half. Lalanna caught the eye with penetrating runs and passes. Huth was coping well with a series of diagonal balls into the box by playing them away for corners, although one headed clearance that flew over the City bar owed more to luck than judgement. But City had their moments especially when Mahrez made superb contact with a dropping ball on the edge of the Liverpool area and sent a shot curling towards the top right hand corner of the goal. Mignolet threw himself across his goal and parried the shot for a corner: outstanding play all round. The half ended with Firmino and Moreno finding a lot of space and time but Moreno’s shot fell into the high, wide and not especially handsome category.
Liverpool maintained their go-forward at the start of the second half with a Can shot deflected to safety. City showed some inventive play but at this point could not get right “on it”. Mahrez broke but delayed his pass to the unmarked Vardy, allowing the defender to block the pass and leading to Vardy running offside. The play was now stretching. Okazaki drilled a shot past the post following good work from Mahrez and Drinkwater down the right. At the other end, Lucas, put clear by Moreno, shot over.
The watershed moment came on the hour. Mahrez, deep in his own half and under pressure, displayed consummate football skill and intelligence by hooking the ball for a 45 yard pass into the inside right channel where he had spotted Vardy lurking. Vardy inevitably outpaced Lovren to the ball, let it bounce then spun and volleyed a breathtakingly ferocious, dipping shot over the stranded Mignolet into the net: astonishing goal, astonishing player.
There was a time when conceding a goal would have triggered a Liverpool side into retribution, but this is not the Liverpool of Shankly or Paisley. Leicester took control, breaking up Liverpool attacks further upfield. Mignolet had to respond smartly to a Drinkwater effort and there followed a bewildering sequence of one-touch passes among the Leicester front and midfield men – more Barcelona than Barcelona – that led to Okazaki being felled in the box by a pincer of two Liverpool defenders. Referee Marriner, not for the first time in the evening, treated this physical contact with unexpected leniency.
But there was no time to dwell on the injustice of an unawarded penalty. Good work between Mahrez and Okazaki saw the latter have the chance for a shot. His scuffed effort was deflected into the path of Vardy, unmarked at the far post. He coolly chipped the ball over the advancing Mignolet and City were two up. Left foot; right foot: all the same to JV.
City played out the rest of the game comfortably. The nearest Liverpool came was in the 82nd minute when Kline drove a low shot goalwards but again Huth was in the way to block and divert the ball for a corner. City gave a short run out to Gray as well as bringing on King and Ulloa and in truth the job was done.
A compelling game played at a blistering pace: City’s intensity and energy remain formidable. Two tough games now at Manchester City and Arsenal but with City playing like this rest assured their opponents will also anticipate tough games. Drinkwater and Kanté were superb in midfield; the back four stood strong; and the pace and interplay between Vardy and Okazaki were a constant threat. Albrighton and Mahrez worked tirelessly.
Ranieri was full of praise for his team and clearly revelled in Vardy’s first goal: “Amazing. The first goal was unbelievable. Jamie is very fast and can create a lot but it was unbelievable how Mahrez found him and how he had the time to see the keeper out of the goal and score a fantastic goal."
Klopp was less pleased ,perhaps reflecting on his team winning 12 corners but scoring no goals. "I'm not too fine with our game today. We could have played much better. We had a few shots where we could pass and a few passes where we could shoot. We created half chances but not real chances.”
Leicester: Schmeichel; Simpson; Morgan; Huth; Fuchs; Mahrez; Drinkwater; Kanté; Albrighton; Okazaki; Vardy. Subs King (for Okazaki 87’); Gray (for Albrighton 79’); Ulloa for Mahrez 90’); Dyer; Wasilewski; Chilwell; Schwarzer
Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne; Lovren; Sakho; Moreno; Can; Lucas; Henderson; Lallana; Milner; Firmino Subs Toure; Benteke( for Henderson 66’); Allen (for Can 75’) ; Ibe; Flanagan; Ward; Texeira (for Firmiono 87’)
Referee: Andre Marriner Attendance: 32,121
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation