Liverpool kept their slim title hopes alive as Diogo Jota’s double secured a commanding 2-0 win over Leicester at Anfield.
Jota turned home from close range after Kasper Schmeichel had parried Virgil van Dijk’s header (34), then fired in from a Joel Matip pass (87) to seal the win and put Liverpool back within nine points of leaders Manchester City with a game in hand.
The Reds were without Sadio Mane following his late return from the Africa Cup of Nations while Jurgen Klopp resisted the urge to start Mohamed Salah, who was named on the bench following Egypt’s defeat to Senegal in Sunday’s final.
But Jota stepped up again in their absence, taking his goal tally for the season to 17, while there was also an impressive Premier League debut from Luis Diaz, their January signing from Porto.
Salah did emerge from the bench in the second half, receiving a rapturous ovation from the Anfield crowd before striking the woodwork with a curling effort and twice seeing Schmeichel deny him on other occasions.
It was Jota’s night, though, his second goal coming after Liverpool had missed a succession of chances and confirming a fifth consecutive home win in the Premier League which leaves Leicester, still reeling from their 4-1 loss to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Sunday, in 12th place.
Brendan Rodgers’ side defended resolutely for the opening half-hour and had bright moments in attack too, most notably when James Maddison’s angled effort was superbly saved by Alisson after the Leicester man had exchanged passes with Ademola Lookman.
But once again a set-piece proved their undoing as Van Dijk powered Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner goalwards, with Jota slamming home the rebound after Schmeichel’s initial save.
Liverpool controlled the game from then on, with Diaz’s speed and directness causing Leicester problems on their right flank, and the pressure on the visitors increased after Salah’s introduction for Roberto Firmino on the hour mark.
The Egyptian suffered Africa Cup of Nations heartbreak with Sunday’s penalty shootout defeat to Senegal but played like a man with a point to prove on his return to Anfield.
He was bravely denied by Schmeichel after turning away from two Leicester players in the box, and the Dane then pulled off an even better save when he raced through on goal after latching onto an errant pass by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Diaz spurned chances too, slashing wide from a Jota pass, then shooting too close to Schmeichel after Salah played him in on goal with a delightful through-ball on the edge of the Leicester box.
But Jota’s clinical second, when he shot on the turn from Matip’s pass, his effort too powerful for Schmeichel, finally broke the visitors’ resistance and gave Liverpool the two-goal cushion their dominant performance deserved.
Klopp hails ‘outstanding’ Jota
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised Liverpool hero Diogo Jota afterwards, telling BT Sport: “With the first goal, when you are in a goalscoring moment, then you are there.
“That’s exactly what’s happening for Diogo at the moment. I’m really happy for him and it’s really helpful for us.
Asked if he expected the Portugal international to become a goal poacher, Klopp added: “We had a sense that it could happen. Diogo was not a bargain, it was not as if we got him for free.
“But the first thing that was obvious about him was his potential that was there, the work-rate that he puts in – that was the most important thing.
“If you have that, then there is always space for improvement. He’s still a really young lad so you have to make the next steps in the team with us where we create much more chances than, with all due respect, Wolves did.
“You need a bit of fantasy for that and imagination, but we really thought he would be an outstanding player. He was already when he came here but he has improved.”
