HEADING FOR THE RECORD
Kop kings take to the air make it 64 unbeaten
THE injuries may keep piling up for Liverpool but so do the home wins at Anfield.
This victory over Leicester notched up a club record 64 games unbeaten in the top tier on home turf with their last loss here in April 2017.
But almost as remarkable for the Reds is that this was the 91st point they’ve taken out of a possible 93 since the Foxes came to Merseyside and left with a draw back in January 2019.
Only Burnley have come away from here since with anything as the relentless Reds have now won 30 of their last 31 league games at Anfield.
Even with players falling to the hectic schedule this season, they seemingly cannot be stopped at home.
Liverpool did suffer that humiliating 7- 2 defeat away at Aston Villa in October but that embarrassment is going to be a distant memory soon if they can keep ticking along despite their injury hell.
This win – thanks to an own- goal from Jonny Evans and fine headers from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino – moved them level on points with league leaders Tottenham.
The fact they did it against the high- flying ing Foxes is a big win in itself. But securto securing in the three points with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Jo Gomez, Trent Alexander- Arnold, Jordan J Henderson, Thiago, Alex OxladeChamberlain C and Xherdan Shaqiri all injured in – and coronavirus ruling Mo Salah S out – makes it even better.
Naby Keita would later join the lengthy queue for the physio room after an impressive 53 minutes from him in midfield. But it still did not stop them.
They did have Fabinho back at least and he slotted in to defence alongside Joel Matip to help deal with Jamie Vardy in the Leicester attack. James Milner got
the nod to replace Alexander- Arnold at right back and it was his second- minute corner which Sadio Mane turned just wide at the near post.
Liverpool did have a scare at the other end when the ball struck Matip’s hand in the area but VAR decided not to overturn referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision to play on.
Then in the 21st- minute another corner from Milner was turned home.
Not from a likely source, though, as Leicester defender Evans made a mess of a clearance which spun off the back of his head and past his keeper.
Harvey Barnes had a great chance to level soon after when Vardy found him in the box but his shot was well wide.
Then Jota got his eighth goal of the season for the Reds and his fourth in four Anfield appearances in the league when he headed home Andy Robertson’s 41st- minute cross.
Not long after the break, Keita was forced off which required a reshuffle but did not hinder the Reds.
Somehow Firmino did not score when he had Kasper Schmeichel save from him at point- blank range.
The Brazilian then hit the post, his clumsy effort on the rebound was then cleared off the linebefore Mane joined him in hitting the woodwork via Schmeichel – all in the space of about five seconds.
But finally Firmino got his goal for the injury- hit champions as he headed home unmarked from another Milner corner with four minutes remaining to secure the win.