Coutinho’s blockbuster opening marks Reds’ return
LIVERPOOL CLIMB TO 5TH PLACE, WHILE LEICESTER SIT 16TH, ABOVE THE RELEGATION ZONE.
LEICESTER: Philippe Coutinho marked his first Premier League start of the season with a superb goal as Liverpool returned to winning ways by edging Leicester City 3-2 on Saturday.
Coutinho submitted a transfer request on the eve of the season, only for Liverpool to block his move to Barcelona, and he began the atonement process with a glorious 23rd-minute free-kick.
Further goals from Mohamed Salah and skipper Jordan Henderson helped Jurgen Klopp’s side register a first win in five attempts and avenge their midweek loss to Leicester in the League Cup.
But victory so nearly eluded them at the King Power Stadium. Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy replied for Leicester and the latter then saw a 73rd-minute penalty parried by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Liverpool climb to fifth place, five points below leaders Manchester City, while Leicester sit 16th, above the relegation zone on goal difference alone.
The Egyptian, Salah, made amends in the 15th minute as he got on the end of Coutinho’s cross and powered a far-post header past Schmeichel to open the scoring. The visitors went further ahead from Coutinho’s free-kick, the Brazilian curling his effort brilliantly over the wall and past the despairing dive of Schmeichel in the 23rd minute.
Liverpool got a third from a counter-attack that saw substitute Daniel Sturridge feed Henderson, who cut inside before wrong-footing Schmeichel. The two-goal advantage only lasted one minute as Mignolet parried Demarai Gray’s shot into the path of Vardy, who headed home from beneath the crossbar.