AFP
Liverpool, Sept 11: Liverpool turned on the style to mark the opening of the new-look Anfield with an imperious 4-1 rout of Premier League champions Leicester.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane put Jurgen Klopp’s side two goals ahead as they played at home for the first time this season. Jamie Vardy reduced the deficit to a single goal. But Adam Lallana’s fine strike restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage and Firmino’s late effort wrapped up a worrying defeat for Leicester, who have won only one of their first four matches.
After 13 minutes the hosts scored the first goal, with stand-in left-back James Milner making a superb, in-field pass to Firmino. The Liverpool forward had only to advance a few yards but did so effectively, scything between Wes Morgan and Robert Huth before drilling a low shot past the diving Kasper Schmeichel from 14 yards.
On 31 minutes Liverpool doubled the advantage with Jordan Henderson carving out the goal. The England forward then opted for a selfless and skillful back-heel that left Mane unmarked in the centre and able to score.
Simon Mignolet’s short pass played Lucas under pressure and, after the Brazilian miscontrolled the ball, he panicked and rolled it across an open goal for Vardy to convert a simple finish.
Liverpool’s nerves were not helped early in the second half when Mignolet suffered a badly blooded nose after a collision with Huth at a corner. In the 56 minutes, Georginio Wijnaldum laid the ball off for Lallana to drill an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Henderson wasted a perfect opportunity to put the game beyond all reasonable doubt on 78 minutes, but Firmino ensured his teammate wouldn’t rue that miss when he slotted home in the 89th minute.