Dominik Szoboszlai helped Liverpool defeat Leicester, securing their place in the League Cup’s fourth round despite their struggles.
It has become almost typical for Liverpool to concede early due to a missed opportunity, and it was much the same when they began their League Cup campaign.
Leicester were able to break after Kostas Tsimikas on the left flank collapsed like a cheap suit. Kasey McAteer then skillfully finished the move for a 1-0 score within of two minutes.
But from that point on, Liverpool took control. Ben Doak, who had a good claim for a penalty turned down by Jakub Stolarczyk from close range, then struck the bar from a similar distance.
The opportunities kept coming, and Cody Gakpo almost brought the Reds back to parity before Conor Coady cleared the goal line.
Throughout the first half, Coady’s willingness to put his life—and occasionally even his face—on the line to keep out his former team was a recurring theme, leaving Liverpool disappointed at the half.
HT: Liverpool 0-1 Leicester
There were no adjustments made at halftime, and three minutes after the restart, Ryan Gravenberch’s deft technique set up Gakpo for a turn and finish, rewarding Jurgen Klopp’s patience.
Several players, including Gakpo, seemed to be performing better than usual, giving the impression that the boss had spoken harsh words in the locker room.
With 25 minutes remaining in regulation, Klopp decided to bring on Darwin Nunez and Szoboszlai, possibly the two most well-liked players at Anfield, with the match still in doubt.
And it only Szoboszlai five minutes to give Liverpool the lead after receiving the ball from Wataru Endo, advancing from a distance, and firing in off the crossbar.
The Reds still had to defend, but they did so successfully thanks to timely challenges from Jarell Quansah, Ibrahima Konate, and Stefan Bajcetic to preserve the advantage.
Quansah’s sprint down the right and Diogo Jota’s precise flick sealed Liverpool’s triumph and gave them a fourth straight 3-1 victory.
At Anfield, Ryan Gravenberch has already received a lot of praise.
On Deadline Day, the Dutch international made a €40 million transfer to Liverpool, ending his misery with Bayern. The 21-year-old has shown no symptoms of rust since getting into Jurgen Klopp’s squad, despite scarcely playing in Bavaria.
We’re now finally catching glimpses of what captivated Europe’s top teams before his Bayern move, when he was still regarded as one of Europe’s biggest talents when playing for Ajax.
The midfielder contributed an assist in Liverpool’s EFL Cup match against relegated Leicester City, giving the Reds two in a row. The Dutchman was crucial to the Reds’ comeback after they fell behind 1-0 early in the game.
Gravenberch created space for Cody Gakpo to score Liverpool’s equalizer by threading the ball through a needle, much to the delight of Reds supporters.
