Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater inspire Leicester after Ranieri sacking as Klopp's Liverpool flop

Leicester City produced one of their best displays of the season as they moved out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in their first match following Claudio Ranieri's shock sacking.

The reigning champions had dropped into the bottom three ahead of the contest, but they put an end to a five-match losing streak in the league with their first victory and goals of 2017 through a Jamie Vardy brace and a sublime volley from Danny Drinkwater.

Philippe Coutinho pulled one back for the visitors, who lacked urgency and a cutting edge for large spells, as they served up a display that suggested their 16-day break had done little to breathe life into their top four bid.

Foxes caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare would have been delighted with the desire and commitment of his players as his audition to claim the job full time got off to a flyer - but it will leave many wondering where this type of spirit has been for the bulk of the campaign.

If Ranieri was watching, he could be forgiven for feeling let down as the Foxes easily put a sluggish Liverpool side to the sword.

The result means the Merseysiders stay fifth and miss out on the chance to move up to third while Leicester leap up to 15th and are now two points clear of the bottom three.

A penny for Claudio's thoughts. This was the Leicester City side that captured the imagination of the neutral as they battled their way to the title last season. The work ethic and never-say-die spirit was there for everyone to see and was the final damning proof that they had stopped playing for the man who guided them to a sensational triumph less than 10 months ago.

It may not sit well with purists or a large section of the club's own fanbase, but if the players who have been cast as villains in Ranieri's sacking produce displays like this for the remainder of the season, the Foxes will avoid the drop.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City). All of the Foxes' key men were back to their best, but it was Vardy's tireless running in attack that set the tone. The striker seems to have found his goal touch and gave Lucas Leiva a torrid evening throughout.

LEICESTER: Schmeichel 8, Simpson 7, Morgan 8, Huth 8, Fuchs 7, Drinkwater 8, Ndidi 8, Mahrez 7, Albrighton 7, Okazaki 7, Vardy 9. Subs: Amartey 6, Gray n/a, Chilwell n/a.

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet 7, Clyne 7, Matip 7, Lucas 5, Milner 6, Can 6, Wijnaldum 6, Lallana 6, Mane 6, Coutinho 6, Firmino 6. Subs: Karius, Moreno, Klavan, Stewart, Alexander-Arnold, Origi 6, Moreno 5, Woodburn n/a.

8' - LEICESTER CHANCE. Mignolet called into action as he dives to his left to push away Okazaki's flick header after Vardy had miscued the initial shot.

20' - LEICESTER CHANCE. Vardy takes a high ball from Schmeichel out the air with a sublime first touch, but then fires straight at Mignolet. Liverpool somehow survive as Matip nods the rebound to safety.

28' - GOAL! LEICESTER 1-0 LIVERPOOL. Vardy strikes the Foxes' first league goal of 2017. The England man is sent clear by a wonderful first time ball from midfield and coolly places the ball beyond Mignolet.

39 ' - GOAL! LEICESTER 2-0 LIVERPOOL. It's two! Milner's defensive header drops for Drinkwater who flashes a volley into the far corner from 25 yards.

60' - GOAL! LEICESTER 3-0 LIVERPOOL. Vardy at the double. Mahrez and Fuchs combine on the left with the latter floating in a cross that Vardy nods into the far corner.

68' - GOAL! LEICESTER 3-1 LIVERPOOL. The visitors have one back. Coutinho rolls a lovely finish from just inside the box into the bottom corner after a surging run from Can.

Jamie Vardy has now scored five goals in his last three Premier League games against Liverpool.

Four of Liverpool's five Premier League defeats this season have come against teams who started the day in the relegation zone.

Philippe Coutinho scored his first goal in 12 games in all competitions for Liverpool.

Jamie Vardy's first goal was Leicester City's first in the Premier League in 2017, after a run of 637 minutes without one.