Lookman breaks personal record to help Leicester City end the year in style
Lookman breaks personal record to help Leicester City end the year in style
Three Nigerians were in action on the night, but one took the spotlight
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in his career, to help Leicester City end their poor run with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
It had been a week to forget for Leicester City after a 6-3 humiliation at the hand of Manchester City and a painful penalty loss to Liverpool in the EFL Cup.
However, the Foxes had a chance to turn their fortunes around as they played host to Liverpool.
Super Eagles star Kelechi Iheanacho started his second game in a row, while compatriot Wilfred Ndidi played from centre-back.
After 15 minutes of play, the Leicester City manager would have been livid after Ndidi committed a poor foul against Mohamed Salah in the box to gift Liverpool a penalty. Fortunately for Ndidi, his skipper Kasper Schmeichel was up to the task as he saved Salah’s spot-kick.
The game proceeded with only a few chances created, and at the end of the first half, only two shots on goal had been recorded, both of which were the Reds’.
The second half started with Leicester City seeing more of the ball. Even with Salah, Liverpool were unable to penetrate Leicester City’s defence.
After 56 minutes of action, one Nigerian attacker was sacrificed for another after an ineffective performance from Iheanacho. He was taken off for Youri Tielemans while Ademola Lookman replaced Hamza Choudhury.
Iheanacho had an 88 per cent pass accuracy, and he also recorded a key pass before Rodgers hauled him off.
Rodgers’ decision was the vital tonic that the former Premier League champions needed as barely two minutes after his introduction, Lookman scored his second goal in consecutive games to put the Foxes ahead.
Leicester City had the fifth poorest defences in the league this season, but Ndidi and Amartey were brilliant in defence on the night to help the Foxes hold out for the victory.
It finished 1-0 at the King Power, and the victory ensured that the Foxes would end the year on a good note.