Liverpool 3-1 Leicester: Three Foxes Talking Points | OneFootball

Team selection

The Leicester boss made three changes from the team that started the game against Wolves. Not surprisingly, Harry Winks came in for Oliver Skipp, and Jamie Vardy, nursing a knock from Saturday, was replaced by Patson Daka. After two poor games, and subject to a great deal of abuse from City fans, Danny Ward was replaced by fit again Jakub Stolarczyk. Surprisingly, there were no changes to the back four. To be fair to van Nistelrooy, though, he is short of options in defence. Hamza Choudhury could have come in for the struggling James Justin at right back but the Dutchman stuck with the defenders who failed so badly against Wolves.

As expected but…

With Wolves beating Manchester United in the 5.30 kick off, Leicester took the field against Anfield in the bottom three for the first time this season. Amazingly, the Foxes took the lead after only three minutes, Jordon Ayew swivelling on a Stephy Mavididi cross to beat the Liverpool ‘keeper. From then, it was one-way traffic with some stout defending keeping the Merseysiders out. Until, that is, a minute before half-time when Cody Gakpo eluded James Justin’s weak challenge to swerve the ball passed Stolarczyk. A Curtis Jones goal just after half time put Liverpool head and, from then on, the result was not in doubt, Mo Salah scoring a third near the end. Before that, Daka had a chance to level things up but, in typical fashion, he failed to make substantial contact with the ball.

All in all, it was a reasonable performance by the Foxes, particularly in the first half. Stolarczyk, in particular, had a good game. Few expected City to get anything out of the game. Financially, the gap between the clubs is massive. There is, however, a worrying lack of quality in the side and it is difficult to see where the points necessarily for survival are going to come from.

A badly-run club?

During the Foxes latest poor run, attention has refocused on the management of the club from the very top. Chants of ‘Rudkin out’ have been heard from the terraces in recent games and, as FoL reported, even celebrity Leicester-supporter Gary Lineker has weighed in with his own criticism of the board.

In reality, City’s predicament goes back a number of years and is not entirely the fault of those at the top of the club. Yes, they have undoubtedly made mistakes. Some transfer windows have been poor with players bought for substantial sums who have proven to be not good enough. The failure to dismiss Brendan Rodgers earlier in the relegation season was also, in hindsight, an error.

Nevertheless, not every problem can be laid at the door of the boardroom. In particular, City have been hamstrung by football’s Profit and Sustainability rules which have severely restricted the ability to splash the cash on new players and left them with the threat of a points deduction going into this season, an occurrence which made the club a less than attractive proposition for potential new managers and players.

It is too late, now, to change any of that. The choice of van Nistelrooy as the new manager still appears to be popular with the Blue Army and fans need now to get behind the team for what promises to be a nail-biting run-in. Transfer dealings in January will be vital with a particular need to strengthen the defence. The possibility, as has been reported, that Leicester might sell Mads Hermansen is unfathomable. If he does depart, it can only mean the club are putting financial security over Premier League survival.