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How did Liverpool step it up?

Arne Slot has proved adept at triggering second-half improvements from his Liverpool team this season and here was another one for the Dutchman’s growing collection.Liverpool’s decision making before the break was abject. The hosts had 73 per cent possession in the first half but forced just a single save from rookie keeper Jakub Stolarczyk prior to Gakpo’s equaliser. So many sloppy errors, so often the wrong option was taken.Slot cut an agitated figure on the touchline but the interval gave him the opportunity to make the required tactical tweaks and a change of approach quickly reaped its rewards.

Liverpool’s second goal epitomised the greater composure and better movement on display as they carved Leicester open rather than whipping high balls in from wide areas.

Jones found Salah, who played in Alexis Mac Allister down the right. His low centre was turned home by Jones, who marked his 100th Premier League appearance in style.

‘Patience’ is a word Slot repeatedly uses to his players and they showed a lot more of it in the second half as they waited for openings to emerge rather than trying to force the issue.

Gakpo saw one effort ruled out due to Darwin Nunez being offside in the build up before the points were finally secured by Salah’s cool finish — his 19th goal of the season — with eight minutes to go.

The introductions of Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai off the bench also helped Liverpool get the job done. The bench looks so strong.

As the Kop chanted about being top of the table and serenaded Slot late on, it was a serene end to a night which had got off to the worst possible start.

The only frustration for Slot in the second half was the sight of Szoboszlai picking up a fifth yellow card of the season which means he will be banned for Sunday’s trip to West Ham United.

Another timely Gakpo intervention

When Gakpo scores, it tends to mean something. Liverpool were toiling to find an equaliser and Anfield was growing frustrated but Gakpo took matters into his own hands and produced a terrific curling effort to put his team level.

It was the moment that changed the momentum of the game and set Liverpool on their way to a comeback victory, and not for the first time where Gakpo is concerned.

Of his 26 goals he has scored for Liverpool in his first 18 months in English football, 14 have changed the game state. This was the sixth time he has found an equaliser but he has scored another seven times to put his team ahead.

His goal against Leicester was a repeat of last season’s meeting at Anfield in the third round of the Carabao Cup (which they went onto win) when they also found themselves 1-0 down in the first half. His goal inspired them to a 3-1 win that day.

Manchester City, Brighton, Fulham, Wolves, Bournemouth, Luton and Aston Villa have all been on the receiving end of significant Gakpo goals, and that’s without even mentioning the strikes that put Liverpool 2-0 up against Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. His impact when his team needs him is clear.

Playing off the left flank under Arne Slot, Gakpo has been able to find more consistency than he did last season under Jurgen Klopp who opted to rotate him across the entire front line. As with fellow Netherlands international Ryan Gravenberch, Slot is getting a tune out of his countryman when he needs it.

What happened to Liverpool’s crossing?

By half time Liverpool had attempted 33 crosses. Not only was it 19 more than in any of their opening 17 Premier League first-half showings this season, it was more than the total recorded in any of those full matches.

They had spurned opportunities early in the game but after Leicester took the lead they became reliant on crosses from deep which allowed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side to camp in their box and head them away.

There was a clear change of strategy after Slot had the interval to fine-tune his team’s approach. They only attempted another 11 before the final whistle.

Before

After

The total of 44 was still 13 ahead of the next highest match total against Fulham (31), but the reduction in the number of crosses helped Liverpool play with more precision and variety.

That was a half characterised by undercooked crosses and corners. They took 12 across the full game, delivering nine into the box in total — of which only one successfully found a Liverpool player. When even the right foot of Trent Alexander-Arnold does not beat the man at the front post in three successive deliveries, it is bound to be a struggle.

What did Slot say?

The Dutch head coach was keeping cool despite his side opening up such a huge advantage at the top of the Premier League.

Asked on Amazon Prime if the title was now Liverpool’s to lose, he replied: “I don’t look at it that way. You go game by game and you know how many you have to play. Especially in the Premier League you see results which make you go, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect that.’ But so many teams have so much quality. If this had happened in the Eredivisie, maybe what you say is true but in this competition?”

Slot was pleased with his side’s attitude in bouncing back from their early set-back against Leicester, and with how the team coped with what he alleged was the visitors’ gamesmanship.