Tom Hopkinson

BIG MATCH VERDICT observers — even the most oneeyed of Liverpool fans — must feel that way every time they see this kind of display.

It had looked like being a cakewalk when the mercurial Coutinho whipped over a sumptuous cross the exposed Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning.

The big Dane was so caught out by its speed he hadn’t the time to get back across his goal and Mo Salah was presented with so much space that he had to score this time.

He had missed an effort from the penalty spot that was much easier to score shortly before, but this time he atoned with a good finish.

Coutinho then doubled up for Liverpool with a 25-yard freekick which deflected off Harry Maguire’s head.

And on a night when Strictly Come Dancing returned to the BBC, the samba beat he was dancing to looked likely to overcome Leicester’s foxtrot.

Revenge was certainly on the cards following Liverpool’s defeat here in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

They had all the possession that night, too, but couldn’t make it stick and Leicester finally took advantage.

This time they did make it count – but as they do so often they f failedil d t to kill off ff th the game. And when Shinji Okazaki, on the mark in the cup game, pulled a scrappy goal back on the stroke of half-time, they were in for a nervous finale.

But when Liverpool regained their two- goal lead, this time through Jordan Henderson, the Reds looked like they might be waltzing to victory again.

Then Vardy met Demarai Gray’s cross to head home and it was game-on again.

Leicester made Klopp sweat as they pushed Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip one way then dragged them the other.

But ultimately they held on. And this morning the Premier League has a familiar look about it when it comes to the top six.

Liverpool can forget being in the mix for the title given the state of their defence.

But they will certainly keep us entertained and Klopp’s nerves on a knife-edge.

The German will continue to smile at it all, as he always does. But behind that smile he knows only too well he needs one, maybe two, new centre-backs.