Home sweet home as Reds find their attacking mojo at Anfield

Jurgen Klopp had demanded that the redeveloped stadium was “filled with life” and the club's players and supporters duly answered the manager's clarion call on a night to cherish.

The outstanding Roberto Firmino struck twice, Sadio Mane capped a dazzling home debut with a goal and Adam Lallana bagged a beauty in front of the Kop.

Liverpool could and should have had more as they looked gloriously potent as an attacking force.

Makeshift centre-back Lucas Leiva breathed a sigh of relief as his first-half blunder – punished by Jamie Vardy – was relegated to a footnote as the Reds ran riot against Claudio Ranieri's side.

It had been 122 long days since Liverpool last graced the hallowed turf. They were forced to spend the opening month of the campaign on their travels as work was completed on the £115million new Main Stand.

And Klopp's men rose to the occasion on their return home – serving notice than a sizeable step forward for the club off the field is being accompanied by progress on it.

A crowd of 53,074 – Anfield's biggest for 39 years – witnessed a performance brimming with desire, pace, creativity and class.

There is still plenty of room for improvement but here was proof in front of owners John W Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon that this is a Liverpool side capable of doing some serious damage this term.

Mane has been a revelation since his £30million summer move from Southampton and deservedly received a standing ovation when he departed late on.

There was a parade of legends in front of the new Main Stand before kick-off as the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Ian St John, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Carragher accepted the acclaim of Anfield.

The challenge facing the current crop is to ensure that one day they are mentioned in the same breath as those cherished names who brought so much glory to Anfield.
One man who undoubtedly has the talent to make that leap if he stays around long enough is Firmino.

The Brazilian attacker blossomed during his first season with the Reds as he bagged 11 goals and he looks ready to take his game to the next level.

After a nervous start from the Reds, Firmino brought the contest to life in style with the opener in the 13 minute.

It was a goal of real quality as James Milner spotted his intelligent run and picked him out with a pin-point pass.

Firmino's first touch took him away from Robert Huth and he coolly slotted past Kasper Schmeichel.

Anfield erupted and the Reds fed off that energy from the stands as they took control.

There were no surprises from Leicester as they sat deep and looked to hit the hosts on the counter-attack with the pace of Vardy. But Liverpool attacked with such speed and conviction that they repeatedly carved open the champions.

Some of the interplay between Daniel Sturridge, Mane, Firmino and Lallana was delightful. Sturridge was expertly denied by Schmeichel after Mane's one-two with Lallana had put it on a plate for him.

Just past the half hour mark Liverpool doubled their account in style.

Firmino laid off a pass from Lucas to Henderson, who dispatched a perfectly weighted ball through for Sturridge.

The Reds striker, who put in a fine shift on his return to the side, could have pulled the trigger but instead produced a remarkable backheel for Mane to make it 2-0.

Liverpool were cruising with Leicester looking shell-shocked. Yet seven minutes before the break they shot themselves in the foot.

Lucas, who was pressed into duty at centre-back after Dejan Lovren was ruled out with a head injury, was under no pressure when Mignolet played it out to him but his first touch was horrendous.

As Shinji Okazaki closed him down, Lucas panicked and inexplicably knocked the ball across the face of goal. Vardy gleefully accepted the gift.

Briefly, the atmosphere was transformed from one of celebration to consternation.

Liverpool wobbled. Huth's header struck the bar after Mignolet failed to claim Luis Hernandez's long throw.

Half-time gave Klopp's men the chance to regroup and in the second half they regained their composure. It wasn't long before their two-goal cushion was restored.

Always a hive of activity, the one criticism of Lallana has always been his lack of end product and 13 goals in his first two seasons with the Reds was a poor return for someone of his calibre.

But the £25million attacking midfielder looks like a man on a mission to put that right.

Fresh from his last-gasp winner for England in Slovakia, Lallana claimed his second Liverpool goal of the campaign.

Like his piledriver at the Emirates on the opening weekend it was another beauty as he hammered into the top corner from 16 yards after latching on to Gini Wijnaldum's lay off.

It was Liverpool's 100th goal in their 57 game under Klopp.

The Kop chanted Lallana's name vociferously. Nobody is questioning his contribution this term.

Klopp didn't take kindly to being serenaded in similar fashion soon after as he pointed to his watch and scolded supporters. The message was clear: it was too early, this contest was still in the balance.

As if to prove his point Liverpool were soon indebted to Mignolet, who did brilliantly to thwart Vardy.

The Belgian keeper, who was left bleeding from a head wound after a robust challenge from the Foxes frontman, is under pressure now that Loris Karius is fit. However, Mignolet stood firm during Leicester's second-half rally and deserves to be retained.

To his credit, Lucas didn't crumble after his mistake and made some timely interceptions. It helped that he had the commanding presence of Joel Matip alongside him.

Danny Drinkwater's volley deflected just wide before Klopp sought fresh legs with Philippe Coutinho and Kevin Stewart on for Sturridge and Wijnaldum.

It did the trick as Liverpool finished with a flourish.

Henderson should have killed off the contest but blazed high into the Kop. It was a bad miss but this was Henderson's best performance of the season.

The Reds captain is growing into that holding midfield role and he used the ball intelligently throughout.

Henderson's vision helped to create the fourth goal late on as his sweeping pass from deep inside his own half released Mane, who skipped around the on-rushing Schmeichel and unselfishly squared for Firmino to convert.

'Poetry in motion' rung around Anfield. Home sweet home.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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