Jamie Vardy scored twice to help Leicester City to a 3-1 win over Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes, without a goal or a win in 2017 prior to tonight, were up and running 28 minutes in when Jamie Vardy latched on to a through-ball and edged his side ahead.
Danny Drinkwater scored the goal of the night prior to the break from range, before Vardy added his second on the hour to render Philippe Coutinho's strike a mere consolation.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes made the controversial decision to sack boss Claudio Ranieri on Thursday evening, just 298 days after the club's famous title triumph against 5,000/1 odds, and they now have a point to prove under caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare over the coming weeks.
The Reds have hardly enjoyed the finest of form themselves this calendar year, exiting both domestic cup competitions and slipping well out of the title race since the turn of the year, but they did end their barren winless run last time out and make the trip to the East Midlands knowing that victory tonight will take them back into the top four. The team news has just come through, so let us check how the two teams line up here...
TEAM NEWS!
LEICESTER CITY XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs, Albrighton, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Mahrez, Okazaki, Vardy
LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lucas, Milner, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Mane, Coutinho, Firmino
Starting with a look at the visiting team, boss Jurgen Klopp has been forced into his only change from the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur a little over a fortnight ago. Jordan Henderson picked up a foot injury in training on Friday afternoon and is therefore absent from the squad today, with his place in midfield taken by Emre Can. Klopp has limited options in that area, in truth, so rather than shuffle his pack he has brought in Can for Henderson in what is essentially a like-for-like alteration.
Other than that Can introduction, it is as you were from last time out. Sadio Mane was the undisputed star in the win over Spurs, scoring twice in quick succession early on to seal a first league win of the year, and he has mow been directly involved in 15 of Liverpool's Premier League goals this season - 11 goals of his own and four assists - which is more than any other Reds player. The Senegalese missed a month due to AFCON commitments, but he is now back up and running.
Adam Lallana is another player who has proved important for the Reds this season, explaining why Klopp was so eager to tie him down to a new long-term deal last week, but his levels have dropped of late and he has now failed to score or lay on an assist in six league outings this calendar year. To put that into some context, he managed four goals and four assists in his previous seven matches. Elsewhere, Dejan Lovren misses a third game with a knee injury and Daniel Sturridge is absent due to illness.
In terms of the home side, stand-in boss Shakespeare has also made just the one alteration from last time out - a slender loss to Sevilla in the Champions League last week. In comes Shinji Okazaki in attack, taking the place of Ahmed Musa who drops out of the side completely. Jamie Vardy therefore starts up top, having ended a run of nine matches without a goal in Andalusia five days ago, though his league stats are poor this campaign after scoring in just one of his last 18 games.
Islam Slimani and Leonardo Ulloa have both been carrying slight injury problems of late, a groin and thigh strain respectively, but they are both in the matchday squad this evening. Many of these players have come under pressure this week for apparently shoving out Ranieri, but they now have a chance to prove their worth to the cause in what is essentially the same side that lead City to the title last term.
BENCH WATCH!
LEICESTER CITY SUBS: Zieler, Chilwell, Gray, King, Amartey, Ulloa, Slimani
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Karius, Moreno, Klavan, Stewart, Alexander-Arnold, Origi, Woodburn
Ten of Leicester's champion-winning side named in the starting lineup this evening, then, with the absence of Musa meaning they have essentially reverted back to basics. Leonardo Ulloa and Islam Slimani have shaken off major injuries to take up a spot on the City bench, while visitors Liverpool have few quality options to call upon in attack; Divock Origi the only player to fit into that category - just!
A back-to-basics approach for Leicester City this evening as, despite making just the one change - Shinji Okazaki in for Ahmed Musa - it means a slight tweak in formation and the same XI, aside from Ndidi, that lead this side to the title less than 12 months ago. Jurgen Klopp's only change from the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur is enforced - injured skipper Jordan Henderson being replaced by Emre Can in a like-for-like swap.
A big night ahead for Leicester, then, coming on the back of a turbulent few days for the club. The signs have been clear to see right from the first ball being kicked this season, when going down to relegation favourites Hull City on the opening weekend, and since then things have barely improved. It all culminated in Ranieri, a man respected throughout the football world, being given his marching orders by the Asian backers.
Living up to the expectations of last season was always going to be tough, of course, but did anyone quite expect this? The hope for Leicester fans will be that the nadir has very much been reached this week, with the sacking of Ranieri amid much fanfare being followed up by a mixed set of results at the weekend that saw the Foxes drop into the bottom three. Just 298 since lifting the title, the Italian was dismissed and now it is down to Shakespeare to potentially take over until the season's end.
If reports in the British press are to be believed, four players were behind the sacking of Ranieri. Kasper Schmeichel, Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton have all hit out at the accusations, insisting that player power did not play a part in this, but the view from neutrals up and down the land is that he was hard done by. That is very much the world of football, however, and should City avoid the drop come what may then the club's backers will surely have been proven right.
City head into this match sitting 18th in the table, one point from safety in a congested battle for safety. Seven points separate the bottom seven at this moment in time, with Bournemouth and Middlesbrough being dragged more and more into the mire of late, while Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Hull City have each picked up big wins. Throw into the mix survival experts Sunderland, who despite looking doomed you just know will stay up, and it is fair to say things look bleak for Leicester.
Plenty has been made of Leicester's recent form, but it really is poor - five defeats in succession and no wins so far from six in 2017, while also failing to find the net during that time. Everton are the only previous reigning top-flight champions to go six games in a row without scoring a goal, coming way back in 1928-29. City's narrow win over West Ham United here on New Year's eve is actually their only victory in their last 10 outings.
That said, these players - public enemies number one - can climb out of the drop zone and into 15th place with victory tonight. This is a match that Shakespeare will be targeting a much-needed point from, but the bigger match comes next weekend when fellow strugglers Hull City - on the up under the impressive Marco Silva - visit here. Then comes the reverse meeting with Sevilla in the last 16 of the Champions League, which all of a sudden has slipped down the list of priorities.
DID YOU KNOW? Leicester City's frailties up top have come to the forefront of late, having failed to find the net in 2017 - the only side in Europe's top five leagues to lay claim to that stat. Another blank tonight and it will equal a club-record run of seven without a goal, set in the old Division Two between November 1987 and January 1988. At the other end of the field, they have two clean sheets in 22 matches and none in their last 10.
Craig Shakespeare has been placed in temporary charge of Leicester City following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri last week, and it is fair to say that the former assistant - a part of the Great Escape class of two years ago - has his work cut out. All the stats point to the Foxes dropping down to the second tier, just a season after shocking the world by lifting the top-flight crown. Three points today, though, and that theory will be revised.
In terms of the visitors, they have had to endure a tough patch of their own this month. The dust has now settled on a truly abysmal start to 2017, which they ended last time out at Anfield when Spurs visited, and they are not exactly in a terrible position. The Reds are fifth in the table and one place off the top four, while victory will see them go one better and move into the lofty heights of third.
The win over Tottenham, inspired by two-goal hero Mane, really was massive for Liverpool. It ended a run of just one win in 10 games overall, seeing them exit both domestic cup competitions and drift out of the title race completely. They found themselves hot on the heels of league leaders Chelsea at the end of 2016, remember, following victory over Manchester City on Merseyside, but the deficit on the runaway pacesetters now stands at 14 points - 11 with a win tonight.
It is fair to say that the focus now for Liverpool is finishing in the top four, and thus qualifying for the Champions League, and that is a target you would back them to hit if their performance a fortnight ago is anything to go by. It might not be a treble, as it looked likely to be when they were at their free-flowing best earlier this term, but finishing in the top four in Klopp's first full campaign at the helm is certainly not a bad achievement and lays the platform to push on.
As already touched upon, the division is incredibly tight at the bottom - seven points between the bottom seven - and it is equally tight at the top. Chelsea aside, who will surely lift the title with a number of games to spare, five points stand between second-place Spurs and Man United down in sixth. Four teams still have a game in hand to play, too, so expect that gap to be cut right down as we approach the business end of the term. Every last point counts, and the Reds will fancy their chances of moving into third with all three here.
Liverpool have gone three games without picking up an away league win, though, and have just the one win in six overall. Momentum, which tonight's opponents Leicester known all about, really is vital in any league and the Reds will be looking to pile up the wins. That is easier said than done, however, because they have not played for more than two weeks and they take on Arsenal next weekend - a really tough match on paper. Still, at least they have put an end to their previous barren run of results!
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Leicester City won this fixture 2-0 last season en route to their famous title triumph, with both goals being scored by Jamie Vardy, but that is their only victory in nine Premier League matches against Liverpool. The Reds won 4-1 in the reverse encounter earlier this term to make it six wins in those nine meetings, though they have not pulled off an home and away double in this fixture since 2001-02.
With kickoff at the King Power Stadium now 10 minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Craig Shakespeare: "In terms of getting teams prepared, I'd like to think my man-management style can do that. There are enough games there and this squad are good enough to get themselves out of this - that will be the message. Momentum is a big word in football. We had that last year. What I would say is they've trained well over the last few weeks especially. We've refocused ourselves."
Jurgen Klopp: "Probably the [Leicester] players have to show a few things and they [will] want to. It is obvious to not let them. You saw the Champions League game and the reaction after they scored: it was like two different games before and after they scored. Maybe they can keep this and then we have to make it not too easy for them to bring it on the pitch or to not let their confidence grow."
'Momentum and focus' is the message from Shakespeare, then, who has very much gone back to basics tonight with what is expected to be a tried-and-trusted 4-4-2 formation. The alternative is that Leicester have stuck with a 4-2-3-1, with Albrighton, Okazaki and Mahrez playing just off Vardy, but I would be surprised if the stand-in boss has not reverted back to the style that took this side to the title. Ten of the outfield players named tonight played a vital role last term.
Klopp acknowledging that Leicester will play above and beyond themselves tonight to prove a point, which they managed to do in Sevilla last week. The La Liga club should have won by a few goals, but the Foxes held out and snatched an away goal and are now right in the match heading into that reverse tie in a fortnight's time. Champions League football must be pushed to the back of the players' heads right now, though, because the main priority is Premier League survival.
PREDICTION! Both sets of players are now in the tunnel area, with kickoff in the East Midlands around four minutes or so away. Plenty riding on this game for both teams - Leicester with a chance to not only climb out of the bottom three but also move into 15th place. Liverpool, meanwhile, are targeting third place in the division and will fancy their chances following an impressive win over Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago. A tight match can be expected, and I'm going with 1-1.
Life post-Claudio Ranieri is moments away from getting under way for Leicester City, whose players certainly have a chance to prove over the next 90 minutes. Many questions have been asked of the club's decision to sack the Italian, but three points today and those disgruntled supporters will be smiling again, as is the fickle nature of this sport. Here we go!
KICKOFF! Leicester City get us up and running in this huge Premier League showdown. A potential early blow for Liverpool, as Vardy catches Mane on the boot and the Senegalese is in a little pain - dodgy challenge, that!
Mane is fine to continue, which is a relief to the Reds. Plenty of intent from Leicester early on, best summed up by that Vardy challenge just 30 seconds or so in. Expect plenty more challenges of that calibre to fly in.
Huth does well to get his head on a deep corner, which is helped back into the mixer. Okazaki tried to get on the end of it but the offside flag was already up. Lucas in the heart of the Reds' defence again today in the absence of Klavan and Lovren.
SAVE! As straightforward an attack you are likely to see, as Huth glances on a Fuchs long throw and picks out Mignolet at full stretch. Fairly simple save for the Belgian to make, in truth, but the Foxes doing well to work him early on.
SAVE! Another long throw and another attempt on target for the hosts. The ball is only half cleared and Vardy's scuffed volley takes a deflection off Okazaki and is palmed clear by Mignolet. Big save from the Reds' stopper.
Mane and Lallana link up down the left for the former to send in a cross towards the front post. It was crying out to be tapped home by Morgan did well to help the ball behind for a corner at full stretch, ending Liverpool's first serious attack.
Matip gets on the end of the corner, sending his free header over the bar, but a shove on Huth in the build-up leads to the referee blowing his whistle, regardless. Well-contested battle so far at the King Power Stadium, with 13 minutes played.
Okazaki has space to run into in midfield, drawing a foul out of Matip. The free kick is sprayed out to Mahrez, who has two men to beat and fails to do so, but he does have a corner kick for his troubles which will go into the mixer.
CLOSE! The corner kick is another good one, which Huth and Morgan both charge down. It was Huth who got on the end of it, but he rather got under it and sent it over the crossbar. Some decent openings for Leicester so far.
A quieter spell in the match now, with the ball spending plenty of time in midfield. Liverpool do get the ball into the final third, though, but Simpson got his head to it and was happy to concede a corner. The hosts bossing possession.
SAVE! Vardy superbly takes down a ball over the top to work himself a one-on-one situation, but he fails to find a way past Mignolet. Credit to the Belgian for making himself big, but Vardy would have buried that last term.
Four attempts so far this evening, all coming from Leicester. Two of those have been on target, too, forcing Mignolet into a couple of decent stops - one from a deflection inside the box and one from close range.
Leicester by far the better side in the opening quarter of the match, creating a couple of chances and also coming close through two corners. Coutinho's shot at the other end is curled into the body of Morgan and is cleared away.
Coutinho finds the ball at his feet on the edge of the box - the perfect place for him to cut inside and curl into the top corner. The Brazilian instead takes it down the line and is ushered off the ball. Poor decision made by the attacking ace.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 1-0 LIVERPOOL (JAMIE VARDY)
Leicester have their first goal of 2017 - and it is one that we saw time and time again last term. Albrighton played the ball in behind and Vardy latched on to it, keeping his composure on this occasion and slotting it past Mignolet.
SAVE! A chance for Liverpool to level up instantly. Coutinho is picked out towards the back post, but Schmeichel narrowed the angle and was able to keep it out. That would have been incredibly cruel had it crept in.
It has to be said - this really has been the Leicester of old. They have been on top pretty much throughout, testing Mignolet on a couple of occasions and scoring that crucial goal through Vardy a few minutes ago.
SAVE! Vardy gets the better of Lucas and lays it off for Ndidi, who tests Mignolet from 10 yards out. Liverpool yet to truly get going in this contest in the East Midlands, instead being made to do more defending than attacking.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 2-0 LIVERPOOL (DANNY DRINKWATER)
It is an absolute screamer from Drinkwater to give Leicester a two-goal advantage! Long throws into the box have caused all sorts of problems so far, and the latest ball into box is only half-cleared by Milner. Drinkwater put his boot through it on the half-volley from 25 yards out and found the bottom corner.
The ball bounces around in Leicester's box but Schmeichel is there to collect. The Foxes' best first-half display in quite some time, and they are worthy of this two-goal advantage because they really have bee dominant from the off.
Half time is now just two minutes away, with Liverpool not looking likely to find a route back into the match. Klopp will be ruing the two-week break for his side at the moment, because they have yet to get going. Still plenty of time to go.
Two minutes of added time to come at the end of this first half. Mignolet clears the ball but is far from his goal, allowing Albrighton to have a pop from 50 yards out. Lacked the range and the precision, though.
SAVE! Can looks to pick out the bottom corner with his shot from 25 yards out, which required a save to help it wide. A late flurry from the Reds at the end of this first half, but the whistle is now just seconds away.
HALF TIME: LEICESTER CITY 0-2 LIVERPOOL
The half-time whistle sounds at the King Power Stadium, with the Foxes boasting a commanding two-goal advantage. Jamie Vardy opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark and Danny Drinkwater added a second six minutes before the interval. Liverpool with it all to do; Leicester in dreamland and on the verge of a first win of the calendar year.
Leicester were on top from the first whistle, testing Simon Mignolet for the first time with seven minutes on the clock when Robert Huth flicked on a Christian Fuchs long throw. Crosses into the box were proving tough for the Reds to deal with, and it was from another direct throw into the box that Jamie Vardy put his foot through the ball and came close to making the breakthrough. The ball took a deflection off Shinji Okazaki - the only player to come into the side from last time out - and forced a big stop out of Mignolet down to his left.
Huth sent another header over the bar as a first half largely dominated by the hosts transpired, and the key opener eventually arrived prior to the half-hour mark after Marc Albrighton slotted through Vardy, who made no mistake in slotting past Mignolet in a goal reminiscent of the Leicester side of 2015-16. Mignolet, who had kept out Vardy from close range soon before that breakthrough, was becoming increasingly busier as he was made to keep out a well-struck Wilfred Ndidi shot from 10 yards out.
Leicester, previously without a goal this calendar year, were in dreamland 39 minutes in when Danny Drinkwater bagged their second of the evening, superbly picking out the bottom corner from range on the half-volley after James Milner only half-cleared a cross into the box. Liverpool failed to offer any real response in the remainder of the first half, coming closest to finding a route back into the game when Emre Can's curler was pushed wide by Kasper Schmeichel.
Plenty for Liverpool to do in the second half, then, and it would not be surprising to see Jurgen Klopp turn to his bench for this second half. No Daniel Sturridge on the bench, with Ben Woodburn and Divock Origi their only options. Leicester City have Andy King as a potential candidate to come on and shore up that midfield a little.
LEICESTER CITY SUBS: Zieler, Chilwell, Gray, King, Amartey, Ulloa, Slimani
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Karius, Moreno, Klavan, Stewart, Alexander-Arnold, Origi, Woodburn
RESTART! We are back up and running at the King Power Stadium, where neither manager has made a change. Not all that surprising due to the lack of options in the Reds' case, so it is down to those XI on the pitch to turn things around.
Liverpool dominating possession in the early throes of this second half, with Leicester happy to sit back and soak up pressure. A breakdown in communication sees the ball go out for a throw, though, and City can regroup.
Appears to be a case of Leicester seeing things through if the opening five minutes of this second half are anything to go by. Happy to fall back and clear away the ball when it arrives and potentially spring a break.
Okazaki is currently limping around after picking up a knock. The Leicester man nearly got on the end of Vardy's cutback but there was not quite enough on it and Liverpool were able to defend. Slow start to the second half.
City seeing more of the ball now, looking for that direct route for Vardy over the top which won wonders in the first period. A good ball around the back is well handled by Mignolet, who was quickly off his line.
SAVE! Coutinho with the first shot of the second half, which was simple enough for Schmeichel to deal with down low. A goal for Liverpool changes everything, but for now it is very comfortable enough for Leicester.
Mane has Huth where he wants him, cutting in from the left and looking for the bottom corner but being blocked by the Leicester defender. Just not happening for the visitors at the moment, though Klopp not yet ready to make a switch.
Route one working wonders for the home side at the moment, as Schmeichel's goal kick is flicked on for Vardy to race on to. The Englishman helped it on to the roof of the net, but only after the offside flag had been raised.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 3-0 LIVERPOOL (JAMIE VARDY)
Leicester have a third of the evening - surely enough for their first win of 2017. Another sloppy one for the Reds to concede, as Vardy got between Lucas and Can to direct Mahrez's left-sided cross into the bottom corner.
A display like this only makes you question Leicester's previous performances this season even more. Now THIS is a turning point in the season; a result that will lift City into 15th place and given them a new lease of life.
SAVE! Lallana offers Liverpool's best response yet with a shot from range, which Schmeichel is again there to keep out. Cries of "Ranieri" around the King Power Stadium, with home fans acknowledging the work he did during his short time here.
LIVERPOOL SUBS! Double change for Klopp, and not a minute too late. Moreno and Origi are on in place of Mane and Lallana, both of whom have made very little impact on this match. Been the case for Lallana since the turn of the year, really.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 3-1 LIVERPOOL (PHILIPPE COUTINHO)
Game on? Firmino does well to take on a couple of men and lays it off for Coutinho, who still had plenty to do but tucked the ball past the reach of Schmeichel to make it 3-1. Still 20 minutes to go and this one may not be over just yet.
Another one of those balls around the back for Vardy to chase down. Mignolet was quickly out again and swept up well, but that direct route is giving Leicester so much joy this evening. Now into the final quarter of the match.
Origi felt that he was shoved to the floor inside the box, but referee Michael Oliver was well positioned and rightly waved play on. Good spell of pressure for the visitors, though they are barely doing enough to warrant a second goal.
SAVE! A left-footed Fuchs shot is helped wide by Mignolet. Schmeichel now leading the cheerleading, urging players and fans alike to get over the line with around 14 minutes still on the clock. No sign of a second Liverpool goal.
CLOSE! Very close to a fourth Leicester goal, as Drinkwater sends a shot over the bar following a mazy run from Mahrez. The winger has now made way for tricky wideman Gray, who will add an injection of pace out on the flank.
Lucas gets his head to the ball but fails to direct it on goal. Vardy takes a little blow to the head and is currently down receiving treatment, eating up some more valuable seconds. Woodburn is now being readied to come on for the visitors.
It is Liverpool doing all the pressing in the final quarter of this match, knowing that one goal will change the complexion of things. The latest Reds attack ends with the ball going behind for a goal kick, which Schmeichel is taking his time over.
Fuchs has been very impressive tonight, another who has looked more like the player of 2015-16, as he helps thwart another Liverpool move. The Reds have barely mustered a serious attack since scoring their breakthrough goal.
SAVE! Schmeichel very fortunate, as he spills Woodburn's shot. The youngster was introduced a few moments ago and fancied his chances from range, but the Denmark international just about kept it out to spare his blushes.
LEICESTER CITY SUB! Now into the closing stages of the match, signalling a chance for Shakespeare to make his final chance of the match. Chilwell is on for Albrighton, who has had a stormer this evening - as have pretty much all the Leicester players.
Five minutes of time have been added on, meaning that there is still a chance for Liverpool to snatch a point. A third win in 12 outings looks a million miles away at this rate, though, as they are struggling to ask any questions of Leicester's defence.
Leicester camped inside their own backline at the moment, helping away every ball that makes its way into the area. Been so comfortable in this second half, in truth, even after Coutinho pulled one back with a quarter of the match left to play.
A shot from all of 50 yards ends on the roof of Mignolet's net, but there will barely be time for the Reds to mount an attacking move. Now into the final 60 seconds of the match - the Foxes moments away from a first win of 2017.
Referee Michael Oliver blows his whistle for full time, meaning a first win of 2017 for Leicester City. A truly massive win for the Foxes, who climb out of the bottom three as a result of the win. Jamie Vardy scored twice and Danny Drinkwater bagged the goal of the night in-between, with Liverpool pulling one back through Philippe Coutinho but not warranting any more.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the King Power Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from both camps will be available elsewhere on the site over the next 30 minutes or so. Thanks for joining!
