Two comical own goals from defender Wout Faes handed Liverpool all three points against Leicester City at Anfield on Friday night, in their final game of 2022.
After a seven-week hiatus from Premier League action on home soil, Jurgen Klopp's side were largely underwhelming in their reunion with former coach Brendan Rodgers on Merseyside.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall cut through the Reds' defence after just five minutes to hand the Foxes' the lead after Rodgers' men had capitalised on a sloppy opening period from Liverpool, who looked disorganised both in and out of possession.
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However, an increased tempo midway through the first half saw the host restore parity after Faes unfortunately sliced Trent Alexander-Arnold's mishit cross over the head of Danny Ward and into the back of the net. Just moments later, Faes had his second as he failed to clear Darwin Nunez's effort that ricocheted off the post, instead slicing the ball into his own goal once more.
Despite Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson all coming close to a third after the restart, neither were able to extend the Reds' lead and instead a late intervention from Alexander-Arnold was required as Leicester upped the ante in search of an equaliser. Which they did to no avail.
Victory means Klopp's side are now just two points off the Champions League qualification places and have recorded four consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since April.
Here's how the national media reacted to the contest at Anfield.
'Thiago was the game's outstanding player'
Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph wrote : "Jürgen Klopp has certainly refreshed Liverpool’s tactical template during the World Cup break, but it is a white knuckle ride watching them, the brief being so focused on high pressing that any misplaced pass can leave them short of defenders.
"Alexander-Arnold needed a last ditch intervention to prevent Harvey Barnes doubling Leicester’s lead during one such counter-attack.
“It’s not good enough,” sugged Virgil Van Dijk, acknowledging the frantic nature of Liverpool’s games.
“At times I think we were very poor. But it is good to get the three points. We won and that’s very positive, that is what it is all about but there are plenty of things to improve.
"At least it makes for a good watch, no matter who Liverpool are playing, and when they are in control it tends to be because Thiago is orchestrating. He was the game’s outstanding player. Indeed, it was the midfielder’s perfectly timed tackle on Barnes midway through the first half which first roused the crowd, although his precision passing was more eye-catching."
'Liverpool erratic in possession and sluggish'
Andy Hunter of the Guardian wrote : "The home side were erratic in possession and sluggish yet find themselves two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham following a fourth consecutive Premier League win. And with the promise of Cody Gakpo to come. The new signing from PSV Eindhoven was in the crowd to witness Darwin Núñez produce another influential but wasteful display, Trent Alexander-Arnold impress throughout, and Liverpool improve after the interval without punishing one of several inviting openings.
"Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson laid a wreath of yellow and white flowers on the centre circle before kick off in a tribute to Pele from both clubs. Liverpool’s captain, Jordan Henderson, laid another wreath in memory of the club’s popular former striker David Johnson, who died last month.
"Klopp had tasked his players with starting with the same intensity and sharpness that underpinned victory at Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Leicester’s early struggles against Newcastle on the same day, when they found themselves two goals down inside 10 minutes, was noted. But so much for best laid plans. It was Leicester, called in on a day off by Rodgers to analyse their Boxing Day failings, who were positive, stronger and energetic from the first whistle. They led after four minutes when Dewsbury-Hall took full advantage of a rupture in the centre of Liverpool’s defence."
'Darwin Nunez struggling to buy a goal'
Joe Berstein for the Daily Mail wrote: "Alarming gaps in the Liverpool defence were a regular feature and it cost them the opening goal after four minutes when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was given the freedom of Merseyside to score.
"But with Mo Salah's radar not working and Darwin Nunez struggling to buy a goal despite another good all-round performance, their saviour came in the unlikely form of the mop-haired Belgian international Faes who until Friday night had been one of the Premier League's most reliable centre-halves this season.
"After 38 minutes, Trent Alexander Arnold's low cross to the near post wasn't anywhere near a red shirt but Faes made a complete hash of his clearance, miskicking with his left boot so it spun backwards past goalkeeper Danny Ward and into the corner of the net.
"The irony was that there was no need for the Belgian to clear as he didn't have a Liverpool striker behind him and Ward was well-positioned to gather and had given him a shout to leave.
"The shellshocked look on Leicester faces said it all and though Ward gave Faes an encouraging pat on the back following the leveller, there was nobody to console him after he made a second howler to give Liverpool an unexpected and undeserved lead on the stroke of half-time."
'Reinforcements are needed in the centre of the pitch'
Paul Gorst of the Liverpool ECHO wrote: "Harvey Elliott for Fabinho was the one Liverpool change with the Brazilian's partner, Rebeca, expecting their first child. The No.3's absence was keenly felt inside five minutes when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall cut through a buttery soft midfield before keeping his composure when one-on-one with Alisson Becker.
"The Foxes man is not exactly renowned as one of the division's great speed merchants and Klopp will have been furious with the manner of the goal as a result. That the defensive-minded Fabinho's replacement was a diminutive ball-playing teenager in Elliott underlined the need for more steel in Klopp's options for the centre of the park.
"Elliott was not directly culpable for the goal - far from it - but it underlined that there is no direct replacement for the powerful Fabinho, whose own form has even come under the microscope at times this term.
"Klopp hinted at further business in the January window in his pre-match press conference and it is clear as day that reinforcements are needed in the centre of the pitch. Short-term, stop-gap options have rarely worked in recent years but the Reds cannot risk making the same mistake in two transfer windows."
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