After a brief respite, Liverpool returned to league action Wednesday evening, hosting Leicester City, and eventually drawing 1-1.
The match was made even more interesting by Manchester City’s 2-1 loss the Newcastle United Tuesday evening, with a chance for the Reds to put even more distance between themselves and the defending league champion. A snowy pitch also added a complicating dimension.
Despite a dream start that saw Sadio Mané score in the second minute and an entirely dominant display in the first half, Leicester got a break in the waning seconds prior to halftime. Seconds before the whistle, Harry Maguire latched onto Ben Chilwell’s looping header back into the area for an unlikely equalizer.
The Foxes found their feet in the second half and grew into the contest, while the Reds started to toil slightly. The visiting side’s disciplined defense challenged the home side, and Liverpool struggled to increase the tempo required to unlock the deep block. Eventually, Leicester lasted and earned a point.
There were definitely controversial moments, like when Maguire cynically kicked Mané’s foot out from under him, preventing a breakaway, as the last defender, and only earning a yellow. Later, Ricardo Pereira stepped on Naby Keita’s plant foot, felling him in the box without a penalty.
Still, Liverpool could not summon enough to finish off the Foxes. They increased their lead atop the table in front of an anxious Anfield but surely felt frustrated.
Here are four findings from the match.
