Liverpool v Leicester City: Live matchday blog
James Milner scored a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield. Sadio Mane's opener had earlier been cancelled out by James Maddison's strike, but the Reds extended their winning start to the Premier League campaign to eight matches.
And here's how the top of the table is looking...
The story of a dramatic game, as told by Opta...
Full Time
Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City
It's all over! Liverpool win it!
James Milner's late, late penalty maintains our 100 per cent start to the season as the Reds record an eighth successive win.
Sadio Mane had earlier given the hosts the lead, but James Maddison's late strike looked set to secure a point for the Foxes.
But deep in stoppage-time, Marc Albrighton's trip on Mane gave Milner the chance to blast home from the spot to win the game.
Goal
GOALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JAMES MILNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No mistake from the spot!
VAR check...
Penalty given!
Penalty
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL
Albrighton brings down Mane and the Reds have a spot-kick.
Substitution
Salah hasn't recovered from that earlier challenge from Choudhury and Lallana replaces him.
Four minutes to be added on at the end...
Yellow Card
Choudhury booked for a late challenge on Salah.
Substitution
Maddison goes off for Leicester, Choudhury comes on.
Van Dijk bullets a header over from Robertson's corner.
Goal
Goal for Leicester - James Maddison
Leicester are level as Maddison finds space from Perez's pass and drills an effort underneath Adrian from 15 yards.
1-1 at Anfield.
Substitution
It''s a double Liverpool change - Wijnaldum and Firmino make way for Origi and Henderson.
Firmino strikes one but it's blocked by Soyuncu.
Liverpool are readying Divock Origi.
Substitution
Change for Leicester: Praet makes way for Perez.
Praet hammers one narrowly wide of the post from 20 yards for the visitors.
Wijnaldum wriggles into space and shoots low. It's amn easy take for Schmeichel, however.
Yellow Card
Evans goes into the book for grappling with Salah.
Chance
Now Salah sends Robertson scampering into the box but his blast is beaten away by Schmeichel.
Chance
The first sniff of danger from Vardy as he uses his speed to reach a ball into the box, but he's denied by a fine stop at his feet from Adrian.
Good goalkeeping.
Chance
Firmino controls a ball into the area from Alexander-Arnold, sets himself and then drags wide of the far post.
Chance!
Salah and Mane combine to open up Leicester, but the former sees an effort clatter the side-netting after Evans deflected the ball against him.
Yellow Card
Soyuncu sees yellow for pulling back Salah after he'd been spun by the Reds' No.11.
Chance!
Salah turns a low ball from Alexander-Arnold goalwards, which Schmeichel keeps out at point-blank range.
Kick-Off
Off we go again...
Leicester get us back under way at Anfield.
The story of the first half, as told by Opta numbers...
Half Time
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City
Sadio Mane's goal five minutes before the break is the difference between the teams at the interval.
A vital challenge from Lovren prevents Vardy from a clear shooting opportunity inside the box.
Salah lays off Alexander-Arnold's ball to Milner on the edge of the box, who scoops over.
Chance
Firmino picks out Mane with a pull back, but he can't get enough behind his side-foot effort and Schmeichel saves.
Goal
GOAL!!! SADIO MANE!!!!!!
Liverpool finally break Leicester's resilience thanks to a slick goal from our No.10.
Milner is the creator, spinning a ball in behind Evans for Mane to outpace the Foxes' defender to before sliding beyond Schmeichel with aplomb.
Get in!
Yellow Card
Fabinho sees yellow for a challenge on Maddison.
Adrian produces a fine one-handed save to thwart a header from Soyuncu at a free-kick.
The Leicester defender is flagged offside, but it was a stunning stop from the 'keeper regardless.
VAR check
VAR checks a challenge made by Alexander-Arnold on Tielemans. The decision is no red card.
Chance
Alexander-Arnold's brilliant ball in from the right picks out Firmino at the back post; however, he can't turn it over the line on the stretch.
Yellow Card
Ndidi is booked for a late challenge on Milner.
Mane charges into space on the edge of the area, but his eventual left-foot shot is straight at Schmeichel.
Mane charges into space on the edge of the area, but his eventual left-foot shot is straight at Schmeichel.
Lovren twice heads the danger away as Leicester muster their first attack of the game.
Chance!
Lovely play from Alexander-Arnold to skip beyond Chilwell with a nutmeg on the right touchline. He stands the ball up to the back post, where Milner shoots into the ground and over the bar.
Alexander-Arnold's corner skims off the head of Lovren in the centre, with the defender unable to turn it goalwards.
Salah spins Soyuncu and tries to place the ball in the bottom corner, but it's claimed by Schmeichel
Salah is close to sliding Mane through on goal, but Evans manages to get a boot to it.
Kick-Off
And we're off...
Liverpool start the game and will attack the Kop in the first half.
Come on you Reds!
Warming up...
AXA - Liverpool FC principal partner and training kit sponsor
Inside the Liverpool dressing room
Here come the Reds...
TEAM NEWS
Two changes for Liverpool from the midweek victory over Salzburg, with Dejan Lovren and James Milner coming in for Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson. Harvey Elliott is named on the substitutes’ bench.
Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Kelleher, Keita, Gomez, Henderson, Lallana, Origi, Elliott.
Van Dijk on hand
The centre-half takes charge of the pre-match media duties at Anfield.
Young Reds rout the Blues in mini-derby
Wow!
Liverpool U18s have beaten Everton 6-1 at Finch Farm. Barry Lewtas' side fell behind early on in the U18 Premier League fixture, but hit back to lead 2-1 at the break.
A stunning second-half performance then followed by the visitors, who scored four without reply after the break.
Anfield looking splendid...
Ox's targets
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has outlined his goals for the season as he finds himself back in the fold after his long road back to recovery.
Speaking in today's matchday programme, the midfielder says: "For me, off the back of what the boys achieved last season, it's, 'Can I add that little bit extra, can I add a little bit more to help us as a squad?'.
"They did terrific last season and the boys in midfield played a lot of minutes. They played their part, they all rotated really well and came up with really important goals.
"It's on me to try and bring a little something: run with the ball, link the play and fit in with the rhythm of the boys upfront to help them.
"What they achieved last year was extraordinary."
Cashless payments at Anfield
Liverpool FC is introducing cashless payments at Anfield to help provide speedier service to supporters on a matchday. Click here for more information.
Firmino named September's star man
There was some early good news for Roberto Firmino on Friday as the Brazilian was confirmed as Liverpool's Standard Chartered Player of the Month for September.
See the No.9's reaction below...
Stat attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in the last eight home Premier League matches against Leicester
- The Reds have not lost in their last 43 home league fixtures - the second-longest such run in the club's top-flight history
- Mohamed Salah has scored 49 times in 56 Anfield appearances; a goal today would see him reach the half-century quicker than any other Liverpool player, apart from Roger Hunt (55 games)
- Georginio Wijnaldum could make his 100th Premier League start for the club
- Fabinho has not lost in any of the 27 league games he has started for Liverpool
Rodgers on Anfield return
Ahead of his first return to Anfield as a manager since departing the Reds four years ago, Brendan Rodgers spoke of his time with the club.
"I'm really looking forward to going back," he said. "I had the real privilege of managing there. So much learning took place for me at Liverpool.
"I always take the positives when I analyse my time there. The first couple of seasons went well and we went close to the title. The third year was more difficult but there was great learning for me as a coach. The fourth season didn't last so long.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the likes of Jordan [Henderson] and James Milner. They were real leaders and you can see how they've developed. There were so many highs as a young manager and I'll always be grateful for that."
Missing Men
Have you taken our Leicester-themed Missing Men quiz yet?
Can you remember the Liverpool starting XI from the 4-1 victory against the Foxes in September 2016? Click the graphic to reveal the answers...
On the cover
Trent Alexander-Arnold features on the front of today's matchday programme.
Get yours at Anfield this afternoon or subscribe online here.
Last season
Liverpool took four points from their two Premier League meetings with Leicester in 2018-19 - check out the highlights of those games below...
Inside Anfield
This is the second fixture at Anfield this week, of course, and the first was a thriller.
Go behind the scenes of Liverpool's 4-3 win over Salzburg in the Champions League below...
A nice touch from today's visitors...
Did you know?
Sadio Mane could reach a triple milestone in today's fixture.
If he scores at Anfield, it would be his 50th Premier League goal on his 100th appearance in the competition for Liverpool.
Mane would become the 10th Reds player to achieve that feat - more than any other side.
Up first: mini-derby
Liverpool U18s take on Everton this morning - and you can watch the game live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO. Kick-off is 11am BST and our coverage begins half an hour earlier.
Team news is in...
Liverpool U18s: Ojrzynski, Walls, Beck, Savage, Koumetio, Clarkson, Brookwell, Cain, Stewart, O'Rourke, Norris.
Substitutes: Quansah, Winterbottom, Morton, Corness, Balagizi.
As it stands
Liverpool lead the Premier League by five points before this weekend's action gets under way, with Leicester in third place. Here's how the top six looks after seven games...
Team news
So, what do we know ahead of kick-off?
Alisson Becker has returned to full team training after two months out with a calf injury, and Klopp confirmed Liverpool have a decision to make on the goalkeeper's involvement today.
Joel Matip and Xherdan Shaqiri are ruled out, however.
Leicester are boosted by the return to availability of James Maddison and have no fresh injury concerns aside from long-term absentee Bartosz Kapustka.
Tale of the tape
Take a look at all the numbers behind the two sides' Premier League seasons so far below...
The manager's preview
Klopp discussed the visit of the Foxes, including an injury update and the return of Rodgers, during his pre-match press conference at Melwood on Friday.
See everything the boss had to say below...
Welcome
We're back to it as Liverpool sign off before the international break with a Premier League clash against Leicester City, led by former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers.
Can Jürgen Klopp's team extend their 100 per cent start to eight games? Stick with us for all the build-up, action and reaction from Anfield throughout the day.
