The possibilities seemed endless the last time Liverpool visited the King Power Stadium more than nine months ago.
Leicester City's stadium had been chosen to host the Community Shield in late July, when a 3-1 victory over Manchester City suggested once again the two heavyweights of recent years were ready to go toe-to-toe for the Premier League title and more over the coming campaign.
There was even the bonus of Darwin Nunez overshadowing the summer's other big-money striker signing, City forward Erling Haaland, by stepping off the bench to win a penalty and then score to take the game away from Pep Guardiola's side.
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It proved the epitome of a false dawn. Curtis Jones and Naby Keita, who both came on as substitutes in the closing moments, didn't play again until October and December respectively, while the following day's friendly defeat to Strasbourg saw Ibrahima Konate suffer an injury that restricted him to just three appearances before the New Year and, a week later, Thiago Alcantara was sidelined for a lengthy period. The tone was set.
As for Nunez, a home debut against Crystal Palace saw him sent off and suspended after a regrettable head butt, and although his debut season in England has led to a respectable 15-goal haul thus far, it is dwarfed by the astonishing output of Haaland for City.
Such setbacks go some way to explaining why Jurgen Klopp's side now find themselves with an increasingly slim chance of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. Victory for Manchester United at home to Wolves on Saturday afternoon shortly after Newcastle United had earned a 2-2 draw at Leeds United means the Reds are running out games for their opponents to slip, the duo both four points ahead with all three combatants having just three games to play.
A superior goal difference means Newcastle are effectively another point ahead, with the Magpies realistically needing only five points to finish higher than Liverpool while United would require six. Both have two home games remaining to one for Klopp's side.
While no Premier League team has lost fewer home games than the Reds this season - that shock loss to Leeds in October their only Anfield reverse - away from home it has been a different story with only five victories. Two, though, have come in successive games at Leeds United and West Ham United, with the Reds seeking a third successive win on their travels for the first time in a year when they return to the King Power to face struggling Leicester - who they have lost to on their last two visits - on Monday. A Liverpool win will at least secure Europa League qualification.
"Our away record is still not brilliant this season," admits Klopp. "We had that discussion very early when I came here that at home we created something like a fortress again but then away we were not a top-six or top-four team that time. And we realised it’s not that difficult.
"The difference is not as big as we might think – but there is a difference and we have to make sure we are ready for that as well. That Anfield is a massive help and boost in a lot of moments is no secret and that we don’t have that, but we have three, four, five thousand people away and they are completely mad, they are completely on their toes for the whole 95 minutes.
"I know everybody wants to go now to the Champions League – I understand it 100%, I want (to), it’s just not really likely. That’s the situation we created. But to show up and show again that we are able to do special things, I’m really happy about. Winning six games in a row is special and if it would be easy, we would have done it much more often, other teams would have done it much more often. Adding the seventh on it is even more difficult."
Klopp has a number of selection decisions to make for the Leicester clash. With Cody Gakpo likely to compete for forward positions, skipper Jordan Henderson and Harvey Elliott are pressing for a recall in midfield, while Luis Diaz could be considered for a third start since returning from a long-term knee problem. Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita remain out, along with Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Calvin Ramsay.
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