Liverpool

Player ratings: Misfiring trio cost Liverpool as unreal stat finally comes to an end

Liverpool failed to score for the first time in 35 games as they suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to a weakened Leicester side at the King Power on Tuesday evening.

Kasper Schmeichel saved Mohamed Salah’s 16th-minute penalty after Wilfred Ndidi had brought the striker down.

The goalkeeper dived to his right to parry the ball before Salah nodded the rebound onto the bar and Leicester cleared.

Liverpool continued to dominate the opening half, with Salah again being denied by a stunning one-handed stop from Schmeichel, but they could not find a breakthrough.

Sadio Mane squandered a great chance to break the deadlock in the second period before the Foxes took a shock lead.

Former Everton striker Ademola Lookman made an immediate impact from the bench on the hour mark when he lashed an effort past Alisson at his near post.

Jurgen Klopp’s men pushed for an equaliser, with Schmeichel denying Virgil van Dijk but it was not to be for an under-par Liverpool side.

The defeat leaves Liverpool six points behind leaders Manchester City, while Leicester are up to ninth.

Leicester (4-3-1-2)

Kasper Schmeichel: Produced a fine stop to deny Salah from the penalty spot and thwarted the same man with an incredible one-handed save on the half-hour mark. Made another fine stop with his feet to deny Van Dijk late on. 8/10

Timothy Castagne: Guilty of giving away possession cheaply on several occasions in a nervy start but grew into the game.  7

Daniel Amartey: Did not look at home as a makeshift centre-back early on but coped well with Liverpool’s famed front three. 7

Wilfred Ndidi: Silly trip on Salah in the area could have cost Leicester but Schmeichel came to the rescue with a penalty save. Excellent after that early error. 8

Luke Thomas: Solid display from the left-back and held his own for the most part against Salah. 7

Hamza Choudhury: Put himself about in a first half that Liverpool dominated. Replaced by matchwinner Lookman in the second half. 6

Boubakary Soumare: Grew into the game after struggling to cope with Liverpool’s first-half midfield dominance. 6

A star in the making

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: All-action display from the Foxes youngster, who certainly looks like he will have a long Premier League career. Set up Lookman for the winning goal and was everywhere for Brendan Rodgers’ men. 8

James Maddison: Struggled to get in the game as Liverpool dominated possession. Forced off with what looked like a thigh injury. 5

Kelechi Iheanacho: Suffered a nasty fall in the opening period and failed to offer much before being taken off. 5

Jamie Vardy: Went close to giving Leicester the lead in the first half only to see his goalbound effort superbly blocked by Matip. Was still a constant threat in behind and never stopped running. 6

Substitutes:

Youri Tielemans (on for Iheanacho, 56): Gave the Foxes a bit more impetus and a grip in midfield. 6

Ademola Lookman (on for Choudhury, 56): Made an immediate impact by firing past Alisson at his  near post with an excellent finish. 6

Marc Albrighton (on for Maddison, 68): Put in his usual reliable shift when called upon. 6

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Liverpool (4-3-3)

Alisson: Didn’t have much to do in the opening half but was beaten at his near post for Leicester’s winner. 6

Trent Alexander-Arnold: A constant threat for the visitors, getting forward at every opportunity but left space in behind him too often which Leicester exploited when Lookman came on. 6

Joel Matip: Booked after just four minutes but got across superbly to block a Vardy shot that looked like it would beat Alisson. Made some impressive interceptions and composed throughout. 7

Virgil Van Dijk: A welcome return to the Reds line-up and controlled the runs of Jamie Vardy fairly well. Maybe could have done more to get a block on Lookman’s opener for Leicester. 6

Konstantinos Tsimikas: You wouldn’t have noticed that Andrew Robertson was missing. Always involved and put in some fine crosses from the left. 7

Misfiring Reds skipper hooked

Jordan Henderson: Didn’t quite have his shooting boots on with three first-half efforts that flew over the bar. Hooked in the second half as Liverpool chased the game. 5

Mo Salah penalty miss Leicester v Liverpool

Fabinho: Dominant in midfield as Liverpool outnumbered the home side in the centre of the park in the first half. Didn’t have things all his own way in the second though and taken off as the Reds chased an equaliser. 6/

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Produced some decent delivery but probably the least effective of Liverpool’s midfield three and taken off just after the break. 5

Mo Salah: Fluffed his lines from the penalty spot and then headed the rebound from Schmeichel’s save onto the bar with the goal gaping. Was also denied by another brilliant Schmeichel stop. Kept going but it just wasn’t his night. 6

Diogo Jota: Pulled a volley wide from 12 yards when he should have done better just before the break. Also angled a header wide from a corner late on. 5

Sadio Mane: Lively in the first half but missed the best chance of the game in the 55th minute when clean through on goal. 5

Substitutes:

Naby Keita (on for Oxlade-Chamberlain, 55): Failed to really provide the spark that Klopp wanted after being The Ox. 5

James Milner (on for Fabinho, 64): Could not get into the game and looked off the pace. 5

Roberto Firmino (on for Henderson, 70): Hardly had a sniff in the 20 minutes he was on. 5

Liverpool