Alisson Blunders As Leicester Rocks Liverpool Third Straight Loss Puts Champions League Hopes in Jeopardy
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Established 1961 Sport SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2021 Alisson blunders as Leicester rocks Liverpool Third straight loss puts Champions League hopes in jeopardy LEICESTER: Liverpool crashed to a manager could not have been any more dismal 3-1 defeat at Leicester to leave bitter. The City humiliation last Sunday their top four hopes in jeopardy after left Klopp insisting he does not listen to Alisson Becker’s latest blunder sparked a the “noise” around Liverpool’s shocking stunning collapse from the troubled slide. He won’t be able to ignore the Premier League champions yesterday. alarm bells any longer Jurgen Klopp’s side endured a third suc- Leicester climbed above Manchester cessive defeat to effectively end any United into second place after feasting chance of retaining the title. on Liverpool’s problems. With Fabinho The calamitous nature of Liverpool’s sidelined by a muscle injury, on-loan late meltdown raises serious questions Schalke defender Ozan Kabak endured a about their bid to qualify for next sea- Liverpool debut to forget. son’s Champions League. Mohamed Kabak had relatively little experience Salah had given the Reds the lead in the in the Bundesliga and Vardy welcomed second half at the King Power Stadium. him to the Premier League with a superb But James Maddison triggered a remark- run that left the 20-year-old trailing in able burst of three goals in seven min- his wake as the Leicester striker lifted his utes from the hosts. shot just over the bar. Vardy had a gold- Maddison’s VAR-assisted equalizer en opportunity to open the scoring when was followed by a howler from away he got between Kabak and Jordan keeper Alisson, whose miscued clearance Henderson to meet Barnes’ cross, yet his was converted by Jamie Vardy. It was header was too close to Alisson. another miserable afternoon for Alisson Picked out by Maddison’s sublime following his two costly mistakes in last backheel, Vardy got in behind Henderson weekend’s 4-1 defeat against before smashing his shot against the bar. Manchester City. Harvey Barnes put the Trent Alexander-Arnold was inches seal on Leicester’s superb comeback, away from giving Liverpool the lead leaving fourth placed Liverpool lan- after half-time when his free-kick guishing 10 points behind leaders City. deflected off Vardy and clipped the bar. LEICESTER: Leicester City’s English midfielder Harvey Barnes scores his team’s third goal during the English Premier League football While Klopp would privately concede Roberto Firmino headed just wide match between Leicester City and Liverpool at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England yesterday. — AFP that Liverpool won’t win the title, it is from Alexander-Arnold’s corner before their top four place that he will be more Liverpool’s pressure was rewarded in the looked back on track, they were An offside flag went up against Daniel Youri Tielemans’ long pass, which could worried about after the Reds were left 67th minute. Alexander-Arnold whipped unhinged a VAR controversy. Amartey, but a VAR review showed have been cleared by Kabak, Alisson with just two wins from their last 10 over a cross and Firmino brilliantly Initially, Leicester were frustrated Firmino’s foot had played the Leicester collided with the defender and miscued league games. They could be as low as dragged it back to Salah with a remark- when VAR ruled that Alexander-Arnold’s midfielder onside so the goal was given. his kick straight to Vardy, who couldn’t sixth place by Monday if Chelsea and able piece of nimble footwork. challenge on Harvey Barnes was just Klopp reacted with a frustrated laugh at believe his luck as he slotted in the emp- West Ham win their games in hand. Salah guided Firmino’s pass into the outside the penalty area rather than the way fate had conspired against ty net. Liverpool were in disarray and The temperature was well below zero far corner with a clinical finish from 15 inside it. But Maddison ensured they Liverpool, but the German was simply their misery was complete in the 85th in the east midlands and Klopp’s 300th yards for his 23rd goal of the season in wouldn’t rue that decision when he bent furious three minutes later. minute as Barnes sprinted onto Wilfred game in all competitions as Liverpool all competitions. Just as Klopp’s men his free-kick into the far corner. Needlessly rushing out to deal with Ndidi’s pass to fire past Alisson. — AFP.