For Liverpool, it was the definition of a defensive unraveling, the speed and chaos to create it breath. They looked for a much-needed victory after Mohamed Salah was a fine finish to Roberto Firmino’s even finer help.
However, the champions have long since lost their certainty and this defeat, a fifth in ten Premier League matches, has raised much more uncomfortable questions – not least whether they will be able to save a Champions League finish from a disastrous title defense. not.
There was VAR drama about Leicester’s equalizer, which James Maddison claimed, but the decisive moment came shortly afterwards, in the 81st minute, and for the second game in a row, it involved an almost comic deception by Alisson.
Twice in last Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City against Manchester City, the goalkeeper erred with goals, but this mistake felt even worse because it had a collision with a teammate – the new signing Ozan Kabak , which has endured a forgotten debut.
Youri Tielemans directed a high ball to Harvey Barnes and kicked back with Kabak and chased Alisson out of his area, the perfect storm was brewed. Kabak stuck out a leg to challenge while Alisson made his connection. But rather than make it clear, he pulls the ball squarely and directly to Jamie Vardy, who collects it and just runs into the empty net.
What is happening? Already on 19 December, Liverpool saw the chance to retain their title. That was the day they put seven past Crystal Palace and put five points at the top of the standings. Few have managed for them since then.
Their afternoon shifted further in the wrong direction when they conceded the third. Moments earlier, Jürgen Klopp became furious with someone behind him in the stands and now he watches Salah lose possession and Wilfried Ndidi sets Barnes free from Kabak, who apparently did not have the legs to come back. Barnes sends confidently past Alisson and Leicester can feel their top four hopes increase.
There was only introspection and gloom for Liverpool. They enjoyed the best of the first half and much of the second in terms of possession and territory, but the fear problems that lay behind were advertised.
Klopp infiltrated his 13th central defensive partnership of an injury season with Kabak alongside Jordan Henderson, but there were two moments before the time the new defender looked defenseless.
Vardy turned on the back of him at 12 minutes just to lob too high, while Kabak also slipped just before half-time as Leicester jumped forward. Maddison plays the final pass, neatly, and Vardy is clean through. His shot hit the crossbar.
It was not just Kabak who struggled with Vardy. The forward’s clearest chance in the first half came when he found space behind Henderson to meet Barnes’ cross from the left, but his head was weak.
Liverpool were bright from the start, with Salah’s move causing problems for Ricardo Pereira. He had two good chances in the first quarter, plus other flickers, but the end product was poor. Henderson chased him away in the 10th minute with a beautiful ball over, and although Pereira got the challenge again, it was still a surprise to see Salah miss.
Salah’s other big moment followed by a ball through Trent Alexander-Arnold, but rather than shooting, he went to a cross that never seemed before Daniel Amartey to reach Sadio Mané.
Alexander-Arnold played well in front of the supervising English manager, Gareth Southgate, and he almost gave Liverpool the lead in the 57th minute, only for his rejected free kick to come back from the crossbar.
The goal of Liverpool was a splendor. Firmino had previously dragged the ball back in the same fluid motion with one foot and pulled Salah up with the other. Salah got his corners right this time and sent in the corner in the far corner.
The match turned sharp after Barnes drove in between Thiago Alcântara and Alexander-Arnold on the left side of the area, making contact with the former and going to the ground. A penalty was only awarded for VAR for calling it back as he saw the offense take place outside the box.
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Maddison beats the free kick low through a bunch of bodies and into the far corner, but again VAR is not happy and does not allow it for an offside against Amartey, who tried to play the ball in the middle. Or so it seemed. Upon further review, Amartey is believed to have been present and Maddison’s target.
Alisson would have made a double save at 2-1 to deny Barnes and Vardy, but by that time the damage had been done. It would get worse. In this most insane season, Liverpool are sitting on their knees.