Liverpool made it 22 games unbeaten in all competitions with a 3-1 home win over Leicester City on Boxing Day to go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League on Thursday night. After an early goal from Jordan Ayew, the Reds responded through Cody Gakpo before second-half strikes from Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah settled it.
It means Arne Slot’s side are comfortably clear at the summit with a game in hand against Everton still to be played. The ECHO was, of course, at Anfield to provide our usual mix of player ratings, big-match verdict and analysis of how it all unfolded.
And our colleagues from the national media were also there to give their own considered takes. Here’s how they viewed it all…
Paul Joyce of The Times writes: “Ruud van Nistelrooy would have instinctively known what was coming. When Cody Gakpo chopped inside James Justin with seconds remaining in the opening half to move the ball on to his right foot, the colour must have drained from the face of Leicester City’s manager.
“Van Nistelrooy had been the striker coach when Gakpo was a skinny 15-year-old in PSV Eindhoven’s academy and was his senior manager at the Dutch club when he moved to Liverpool in January 2023. The fierce shot curled into the far corner of the net from just outside the penalty area was, therefore, a finish he had seen numerous times before, though in much more comforting circumstances than this.
“Leicester had the temerity to seize an early lead but from the moment Gakpo levelled, the outcome was no longer in any real doubt. That Liverpool have not been winning at half-time in 13 of their 26 matches under Arne Slot bears testament to his ability to shape matters via a carefully worded team talk.”
“It was fitting the fog should partially clear at the final whistle because Liverpool have put daylight between them and the chasing pack in the title race.
“They recovered from an early scare against Leicester City to stamp their authority on a league table which throws the gauntlet at the feet of Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca. Surely only they can stop Liverpool now given the curious absence of Manchester City from this year’s title race, the champions now an extraordinary 14 points adrift having played a game more.”
