James Milner’s injury-time penalty earned a dramatic win over in-form Leicester City and maintained Liverpool’s flawless start to the Premier League season.
Brendan Rodgers’ side looked to be on course for a hard-earned point on his return to Anfield after James Maddison’s low finish 10 minutes from time equalised Sadio Mane’s 40th-minute strike.
And then, with the clock ticking into stoppage time, a communication breakdown between Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel and substitute Marc Albrighton ended with the latter bring down Mane.
The penalty was awarded after consultation with the video assistant referee and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrated wildly as Rodgers turned away in despair.
Leicester will feel they had done enough to earn a point and their frustrations boiled over at the final whistle, with substitute Ayoze Perez involved in angry exchanges with several Liverpool players – who were celebrating increasing their lead over Manchester City at the top of the table to eight points.
City can reduce the gap to five once more when they host Wolves on Sunday (14:00 BST).
- Relive Liverpool’s win over Leicester
- All of Saturday’s Premier League action
Liverpool forced to sweat again
This is the closest Liverpool have come to dropping points in the Premier League this season – but once again late Anfield drama provided a twist in the tale.
Leicester looked to have seen out the worst to claim a point. However, it was no surprise Mane was involved in the decisive incident the Foxes players contested so hotly.
Mane was not just his usual attacking threat – scoring his 50th top flight goal for the Reds after racing on to Milner’s pass and expertly beating Schmeichel in the first half – he also worked tirelessly in his defensive duties to subdue the threat of Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell in the first half.
The Senegal forward now has world-class status and came to Liverpool’s aid once more when it looked like the visitors would repeat their feat of last season and leave Anfield with a draw.
Liverpool are now on a run of 17 Premier League victories, bettered only by Manchester City’s sequence of 18 wins between August and December 2017.
They are also unbeaten in 44 league games at home – 34 wins and 10 draws – which is the longest current run in Europe’s top five leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain).
The hosts were not at their fluent best but, like at Sheffield United last time out, they got a break when needed and cashed in.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Liverpool
Substitutes
Leicester
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Liverpool 2, Leicester City 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Leicester City 1.
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 2, Leicester City 1. James Milner (Liverpool) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
VAR Decision: Penalty Liverpool.
Penalty Liverpool. Sadio Mané draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) after a foul in the penalty area.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Adam Lallana replaces Mohamed Salah because of an injury.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ben Chilwell (Leicester City).
Booking
Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City).
Divock Origi (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City).
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City).
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Hamza Choudhury replaces James Maddison.
Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Andrew Robertson with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Ricardo Pereira.
Attempt missed. Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Ricardo Pereira.
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Youri Tielemans (Leicester City).
Offside, Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold tries a through ball, but James Milner is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 1, Leicester City 1. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ayoze Pérez.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Roberto Firmino.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Jordan Henderson replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.
Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Ayoze Pérez replaces Dennis Praet.
Attempt missed. Dennis Praet (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.
Booking
Jonny Evans (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jonny Evans (Leicester City).
Offside, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino tries a through ball, but Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Attempt missed. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
Ben Chilwell (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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