Steven Gerrard scores as Liverpool fight back to beat 10-man Leicester
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ByEurosport
Updated 03/12/2014 at 10:01 GMT
Premier League, King Power Stadium - Leicester City 1 (Mignolet og 22) Liverpool 3 (Lallana 26, Gerrard 54, Henderson 83)
Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Liverpool (Getty)
Image credit: Getty Images
Steven Gerrard scored on his return to the Liverpool starting line-up as the Reds fought back from a goal down to beat Leicester City 3-1.
The game exploded into action moments after Esteban Cambiasso missed an open goal, casually rolling the ball wide after he was gifted possession by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Things got worse for Mignolet when Leonardo Ulloa's shot hit the base of the post and ricocheted off the Belgian's head and into the Liverpool goal.
But just when Leicester had the visitors on the ropes, the Reds struck back through Adam Lallana, who seized on Rickie Lambert's nod down to finish well into the bottom corner.
Gerrard, whose Liverpool future has been brought into question of late, reminded Brendan Rodgers of his quality with an assured finish, rounding off a move he started, to score what proved the game's key goal.
Leicester were reduced to 10 men when captain Wes Morgan was dismissed when he hauled Lambert to the ground, denying a goal scoring opportunity.
Gerrard was denied a penalty when he clashed with Kasper Schmeichel, but Liverpool wrapped up the win late on when Schmeichel handed possession straight to Sterling, whose back heel found Henderson to tuck in from close range.
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Martin Skrtel of Liverpool looks on as Simon Mignolet scores an own goal for Leicester (Getty)
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS
19' - OPEN GOAL! Cambiasso misses an open goal! Mignolet's clearance is woeful, straight at the Argentine, whose casual effort from 25 yards rolls wide. He simply HAD to score, what a miss!
22' - GOAL! Leicester City 1-0 Liverpool. It's a lucky goal for the Foxes. Vardy's initial shot was saved well by Mignolet onto the post. It came out to Ulloa, whose shot strikes the base of the post and strikes the back of Mignolet's head and goes in. They all count!
26' - GOAL! Leicester 1-1 Liverpool. Good finish by Lallana, who seizes on Lambert's knock-down and lashes a good, low, hard shot into the bottom corner. Clinical by the England man.
54' - GOAL! Leicester 1-2 Liverpool. It's Gerrard for Liverpool! The skipper drives forward and finds Sterling on the left. Sterling's cross is half cleared by Morgan but only as far as Gerrard, who had continued his run and places into the bottom corner from 15 yards.
63' - RED CARD! Foxes captain Wes Morgan is dismissed for dragging Rickie Lambert to the ground after he'd turned the Leicester centre-back. He can have no complaints.
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Referee Lee Mason (L) shows the red card to Leicester City's Wes Morgan (R) (Reuters)
Image credit: Eurosport
73' - PENALTY CLAIM! Massive call by the referee as Gerrard goes clean through on goal and is fouled by Schmeichel, who seemed to bring the Liverpool skipper down.
83' - GOAL! Leicester 1-3 Liverpool. Henderson seals the win for Liverpool. Schmeichel makes a dog's dinner of Gerrard's cross, giving it straight to Sterling, who back-heels it to Henderson, who tucks in from close range.
KEY STATS
This was Gerrard's first goal against Leicester in his seventh appearance against the Foxes.
Only two of Steven Gerrard's last 19 Premier League goals have come from open play.
Leicester have now won just two of their last 20 Premier League home matches (W2 D12 L6).
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Liverpool's Steven Gerrard (L, top) scores his team's second goal during their Premier League match against Leicester City (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT
Will Gerrard stay at Liverpool? The skipper will have to accept a significant pay cut to stay at Anfield, but for every performance like tonight's he'll add £10,000 to his new weekly wage. Gerrard may have to accept being used less often, but his value to Liverpool remains significant. Perhaps the question is: just how bad do Liverpool want to keep him?
MAN OF THE MATCH
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool): You just can't keep a top player down. Left out of the starting line-up last weekend, Gerrard responded with one of his best displays of the season. It was a vintage and hugely influential performance by the skipper, who capped it all with a goal and key role in another.
PLAYER RATINGS
Leicester: Schmeichel 5, De Laet 6, Morgan 4, Wasilewski 5, Konchesky 6, Schlupp 6, Cambiasso 6, James 7, Mahrez 7, Vardy 6, Ulloa 7. Subs: Albrighton N/A.
Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Manquillo 6, Johnson 7, Toure 6, Skrtel 6, Lucas 7, Gerrard 8, Henderson 7, Lallana 7, Sterling 6, Lambert 7. Subs: Lovren N/A, Moreno 7, Allen 6.
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
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