Football - FA Premier League - Leicester City FC v Liverpool FCA RESULT, and night, that surely makes some decisions on where priorities lie for the rest of the season. I have no appetite for a battle for eighth. The players look like they feel the same.

A Bill Shankly quote we have used often this season is that a football team needs three men to play a piano and eight men to carry it.

Leicester City had three men up front who looked likely to score a goal and eight men happy to help them.

Liverpool had strikers scared to play the notes and defenders trying to smash the piano with a hammer.

The Reds had lots of nice midfield play and loads of possession. Leicester City scored twice, forced two great saves from Simon Mignolet and should have had a penalty. Real heavy metal football versus lads passing a guitar among themselves until Alberto Moreno drops it in the bath.

Liverpool opted not to buy a striker in the transfer window. They haven’t scored in the last three games.

They’ll be hoping those coming back, come back hard and come back quick. In the meantime we’re stuck with this lot. Who I’ll rate for your pleasure.

Simon Mignolet: 7.5

Two terrific saves and nothing he can do with the goals. Must wish he could just have a good game and Liverpool win.

Nathaniel Clyne: 5

Real shame he followed up a good performance with a shaky one. The way they set up and play can make a fool of you, but sometimes he did it all by himself.

Alberto Moreno: 4

This is why ticket prices make you want to jump in the Mersey. You give them all your money so frauds who can’t kick a ball can waste it on some left back who’s got brilliant interception stats but dreadful throwing the ball to them stats. There are about seven left backs at the academy I would trust more than him. I wouldn’t back him to spell his own name.

Dejan Lovren: 5

Looked very shaky early on when we hadn’t realised Vardy might beat him in a race. Looked a bit better when we decided to form something resembling a back four.

Mamadou Sakho: 5

Covered Lovren really well until Lovren started to play better, and then decided it was his turn to forget how to defend. Dreadful for the second, and should have given away a penalty when his sit down slide tackle failed to work again. Some nice passes though.

Lucas Leiva: 5

Feels like this isn’t really working any more. We’ll always have Villa away last year and fronting the Stoke end last week, mate.

Jordan Henderson: 5

Still not sure what is going on. Having an injury that has to get worse before it gets better, and pain is a a good thing and it’ll all be fine honest sounds like a massive blag to me.

Emre Can: 6

Actually thought he was doing alright. Mad end-to-end games suit him.

James Milner: 6

Thought he did alright, too. Our best passer of the ball until Joe Allen came on. And then again when Joe Allen kicked it out for a throw.

Adam Lallana: 5

Insert every Lallana comment from previous ratings apart from Norwich away

Roberto Firmino: 5

Just packs in when it’s not going for him. Which isn’t ideal. We were all fed up, mate, but you were getting paid.

SUBS

Christian Benteke: 5

He didn’t do anything, did he? Oh, did a nice turn and then didn’t pass. That was it.

Joe Allen: 6

Give me hope, Joe Allen. Give me hope, Joe Allen. Give me hope, Joe Allen, ‘fore the morning comes.

Joao Teixeira: n/a

“Two minutes left, mate. Grab a hat trick.”