Liverpool see off Leicester; Arsenal draw

So much for Liverpool struggling under the weight of its growing injury list.

Deprived of top scorer Mohamed Salah, captain Jordan Henderson and threequarters of their first-choice defence, the champions still easily dealt with Leicester – the team that came into the weekend in first place in the Premier League – in an impressive 3-0 win at Anfield yesterday.

In fact, so intense was the pressing, so threatening was the team’s attacking game and so comfortable was the piecedtogether backline, you’d never know this was amakeshift lineup fielded by Liverpool manager Ju¨rgen Klopp.

Leicester, coached by former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, had won all four of their away games this season but were two goals down by halftime following an own-goal by Jonny Evans in the 21st minute and a glancing header by Diogo Jota in the 41st.

Liverpool struck the goal frame three times in the second half –twice through Roberto Firmino and then through Sadio Mane – while a defence that contained midfielders JamesMilner and Fabinho never really looked like conceding, shackling the threat of danger man Jamie Vardy. Firmino got the goal his overall display deserved when he headed in a corner from Milner.

It was a statement performance from Liverpool, on a weekend Manchester City and Manchester United – two of their possible title rivals – again failed to impress. The champions climbed above Leicester and into second place, behind Tottenham only on goal difference, and are now unbeaten in their last 64 home games in the top flight, which is a club record.

Signed for a club-record fee in the offseason of 2019, Nicolas Pe´pe´ continues to do little to justify the price tag at Arsenal.

The Ivory Coast international was handed just his second start in the league this season in an awaymatch against Leeds and failed to take his chance, getting a red card in the 51stminute for headbutting home left back Ezgjan Alioski in an off-theball incident.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta saw his players battle – while riding their luck at times – to eke out a 0-0 draw and didn’t mince his words about Pe´pe´’s conduct.

‘‘It is unacceptable. Unacceptable,’’ Arteta said. ‘‘At this level you cannot do it.’’

In other matches yesterday, Everton pipped Fulham 3-2 and West Ham shaded Sheffield United 1-0.