As it happened: Liverpool implode to hand Leicester win in English Premier League

Brilliant win for Leicester as they - at least temporarily - move up to second in the table above Manchester United. While taking nothing away from their tenacious approach, this will go down as an implosion from Liverpool who had the upper hand, the lead and the ascendancy, before a tight VAR decision saw them crumble like their own opponents did last season. 
Given the similar disintegration last week against City, questions will now be asked - who is to blame? At least my hat is safe... Thanks for following.

OK. Let's just regroup about what just happend. Scarily like against Manchester City, Liverpool have imploded and handed the oppositon three points. This is calamitous for Liverpool. Especially for 'safe hands' Alisson who again must be blamed for two of the three goals - just as he was at the Etihad.
Madisson, Vardy and Barnes struck in the space of seven late minutes to turn a harmful 1-0 loss into an amazing 3-1 win, and bizarrely, it was Liverpool who did all the work for them... odd.

Guys! I am trying to type! Drama x4. Barnes capitalises on the Liverpool meltdown by calmly sidefooting past Allison.

Drama drama drama. Mayhem as Alisson explodes off his line to stop Vardy after the kick-off, collides into his own man Kabak. Alisson is skinned and Vardy taps home to celebrate by playing guitar with the corner flag. Liverpool falling apart.

Drama drama! Leicester think they have levelled from the free-kick on the edge of the box on the left. Maddison sends it in. Amartey sticks a leg out. Misses. Ball goes in. Flag. Whistle. No goal. VAR (these are usually off). Goal given!!! Madness. Apparentley a Liverpool toe played Amartey onside. Goal given to Maddison. 

Hello. Drama! VAR consulted for a potential Leicester penalty. Not given, but right on the line.

A goal worth the wait! Alexander-Arnold fires in and the ball drops to Frimino, who traps, spins then lays off to Salah to finish off a fine, fine move. That was the proverbial (metaphorical) poetry in motion right there. Amazing stuff from Firmino for assist of the season contender. What is the Leicester response? Liverpool up to third as it stands.

Now it is Firmino again, who gets his head on a near-post cross but puts it past the post. 

Wow. That crossbar takes another thump as Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold fires in from a free-kcik from distance. Schmeichel cannot get a hand to it but he is rescued by the woodwork (why do we still call it that?)

After all the snow and sub-zero conditions across the UK, the sun has made an appearance in Leicester. It's not as if these guys have already worked up a sweat. Pretty sure it is still quite chilly though. 

Alisson called into action early to deny Vardy once again after a couple of dangerous Leicester free-kicks. Liverpool's Robertson is then waaaaay too optimistic with his pop from the left and it goes way over. 

I pondered earlier if Klopp would want a City or Spurs win later. I wonder who Pep and Ole are wanting to win this one between the nearest rivals of the top-two Manchester clubs. 

Here we go for round 2... 45 minutes to find a winner? A draw really doesn't suit either side so I expect no let-up in the second half.

And Kasper would like to make his dad and Manchester United legend Peter smile with a clean sheet against rivals Liverpool.

Nice company for Klopp

Both sides still pushing. Liverpool waste a dangerous free-kick by Alexander-Arnold planting it straight in the wall before Alisson once again comes out to deny Vardy. Zip-zip at the break.

We have had all these chances but still no goal. Vardy goes so close to changing that as he breaks clear and jinks past his marker only to beat the keeper and be denied by the crossbar... I may need to find a hat (see 16:37). 

Back up the other end we go again and Liverpool's Robertson has a go from distance on the left, it is delfected wide.

This game has more swings than a Dubai kiddies park as Vardy almost makes the breakthrough but heads straight at Alisson, as we approach half-time.

It’s almost role-reversal now as Leicester hit on the break. Ndidi steals the ball from Thiago and feeds Maddison, but his shot is deflected away.

Liverpool geting into their stride now and another sweeping move takes play from the left to the right and Salah's ball in to Firmino is blocked by Schmeiche. The Dane is called into action again to repel the Brazilian moments later with a great outstretched hand from close range. 0-3 for Firmino as he then blast over from the left but Leicester under pressure. 

End-to-end again. Leicester look to be in before Maddison forgets the ball with the goal at his mercy, and Liverpool break in numbers. Salah gets it on the left but Mane fires well wide again - fouling Amartey in the process.

Early substitution for Liverpool may shake things up - as if this game needed it. The 63-year-old (joke?) Milner trudges off after 17 minutes to be replaced by Thiago. The mounting injury concerns at Liverpool mount some more. Not a bad replacement, mind.

Salah hasn't got his eye in yet as he smashes well wide unmarked from a corner. 

No let-up so far as Salah gets through before an uncustomary hesitation allows Leicester to clear (cue tumble and half-hearted penalty appeal). An opportunistic effort from Vardy follows as he spots Alisson off his line and the balls lands on the roof of rthe Liverpool net. 

If the early action is anything to go by, I'm in for a busy afternoon as Vardy is almost through before Alisson races out to clear, and then Mane is just denied by Soyuncu at the other end. All inside 180 seconds. If this ends 0-0, I will eat my hat (*not wearing a hat).

We are under way at King Power Stadium. Can Liverpool bounce back or will it be 'Klopp must go' time from the fickle brigade?

Klopp is going all out today, with his attacking trident of Salah, Firmino and Mane starting. A few criticisms have been aimed at Brazil's Firmino of late. Let's see how he responds. Schmeichel is back between the sticks for the hosts, and goal-machine Vardy starts. Kick-off coming up.

TEAM NEWS
Leicester: Schmeichel, Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Amartey, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy. Subs: Thomas, Under, Mendy, Fuchs, Ward, Perez, Iheanacho, Daley-Campbell, Choudhury
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Kabak, Henderson, Robertson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Shaqiri, Williams, Phillips, Adrián, Thiago, Tsimikas, Clarkson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Williams

"Liverpool have to win today if they want to have any chance in the race. But the two Manchester clubs still need to keep an eye on Leicester as we know what they have done in the past," says Craig Leader, manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. "However, a win for the Reds - coulped with a loss for City against Spurs - will change the whole complexion again."

First things first however, and we need to see how Liverpool will contend with a tricky trip to Leicester, given their recent travails that have seen them slide down the table and also crash out of the FA Cup at the hands of old pals Manchester United.  

We have three more games to come later today, with Palace hosting Burnley, Brighton taking on Aston Villa and a wee match between Man City and Tottenham: I wonder which side Klopp will be rooting for in that one ...
Fixtures
Crystal Palace v Burnley, 7pm
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 9.30pm
Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa, Midnight

Klopp has admitted he is “concerned” by the Reds’ slump in form that has seen them drop points, including back-to-back losses and now sit 10 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Liverpool are fourth, but a win today will take them back up above Leicester. “We have 15 games to go, a lot of points. It’s not about where are the others or where they end up. It’s just about us,” Klopp said.

One could say this is a must-win, or at least a must-not-lose if Jurgen Klopp's defending champions are to hold on to any hope of retaining their title. Leicester, meanwhile, are looking like a more-rounded and complete team that won the title in 2015-16.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of today's English Premier League clash between Leicester City and Liverpool.