LIVERPOOL swept aside last season’s Premier League winners in front of a new look Anfield, seeing off the Foxes by four goals to one massive error.

As the team sheets came out they revealed that Lucas Leiva was to start centre back alongside Joel Matip, after Dejan Lovren had sustained an eye injury.

And here was Lovren’s shiner. ‘Kinell.

After a slow start from the Reds they managed to get a foothold in the best possible fashion, scoring inside 15 minutes — stopping the Steven Gerrard chants from the away end. James Milner came in on his right foot, from his left-back berth, and played through Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian sent Robert Huth for the ECHO before wrong footing Kasper Schmeichel with the finish.

Liverpool kept up the pressure from there, Sadio Mane playing a one-two with Adam Lallana on the edge of the box, before squaring the ball to Daniel Sturridge, who forced a good reaction save out of Schmeichel.

Sturridge would later repay the favour, although this time the outcome was much different. His backheel left Mane with a one-on-one, and his chip found the back of the net despite a touch from the Leicester stopper.

Just as Liverpool were looking comfortable, and their opponents the exact opposite, they gifted the Foxes a goal — seems pretty repetitive. Lucas Leiva was caught out by a loose touch on the left hand side of his own box and, in his attempt to correct his error, squared the ball to Jamie Vardy who took the gift. Sake.

From there things got nervy. Defenders running into each other, and Simon Mignolet back to his old self flapping at any ball that came within five yards of him. He was nearly punished, when Huth got up to meet a long throw, but his effort struck the top of the bar. He did look much more assured later on, coming to claim a high ball and taking a whack in the process — right in his grid.

Jürgen Klopp must have given his side a kick up the arse at half time, because they came back out with a swagger. Sturridge once again got in behind, but he couldn’t beat Schmeichel one-on-one. It didn’t matter, though, as Georginio Wijnaldum held up the ball before laying off Lallana who smashed home to relieve some of the tension from those first-half errors.

Leicester were still threatening, Vardy going through with only Mignolet to beat but the Belgian produced a crucial stop to keep him out. Jordan Henderson will have been kicking himself for not taking a good chance to wrap it up, running onto a loose ball inside the area before absolutely skying it.

https://twitter.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/774670698124115969

But the Reds did manage to round off their great display. Mane beat Schmeichel to the ball 30-plus yards from his own goal and, after some worrying dicking about, Firmino was left with an open net to make it four.

A boss display for our first game back at Anfield, and it could have been more on a different day. Everything is good.

Up the Reds.

READ: Liverpool 4 Leicester City 1: Player Ratings

READ: Liverpool 4 Leicester City 1: Match Review

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