Leicester City 2 0 Liverpool HT: 0 - 0 Kick Off: 19:45 Shinji Okazaki 65' Islam Slimani 78'

Sep 19, 2017
7 min read

Welcome to our memories reaction night all the action from another night under the king power lights. lets start from the beginning as we looked forward to the match in the league cup 3rd round .

Top's pre-match thoughts

Leicester City's tradition in the League Cup is a proud one and we are always keen to maintain it.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha Leicester City Vice-Chairman

Craig Shakespeare

Foxes boss Craig Shakespeare speaks to the media.

Craig Shakespeare has given his pre-match thoughts ahead of tonight's tie. The City boss wants to see his side focus on themselves against Liverpool on Filbert Way...

It’s always about putting your house in order first. It’s important that we select the right team to try and cause Liverpool problems. It’s also very important that we’re aware of our own strengths.

Craig Shakespeare

CS: "We have players that need games, but we want to progress to the next round. Should be a great cup tie.

Riyad Mahrez

Algerian ace Mahrez arrives on Filbert Way.

Looking good, lads!

Daniel Amartey

City's Ghanaian midfielder makes his way to the changing room.

Kelechi Iheanacho

After making his full debut at Huddersfield, Iheanacho is at King Power Stadium tonight.

Shinji Okazaki

The tenacious striker has already scored twice this season.

The Foxes arrive!

Head-to-head

Klopp's view

As long as we can line up strong line-ups, we’ll line up strong line-ups! It’s a good moment, of course it’s a little bit strange that we play Leicester again at the weekend, and I am sure both sides will make a few changes – that makes sense for the players.

Jürgen Klopp

Liverpoolfc.com

Speaking to Liverpool's website, Jürgen Klopp hinted at what his team selection may be on Filbert Way this evening...

Today’s starting XI: Hamer, Amartey, Dragović, Morgan (c), Chilwell, Albrighton, Iborra, Ndidi, Gray, Slimani, Ulloa. Subs: Jakupovic, Iheanacho, Musa, Okazaki, Mahrez, Benalouane, Choudhury.

It's a sell out!

The Blue Army

The fans have started to make their way to King Power Stadium.

The Blue Army are arriving in numbers at King Power Stadium with many already enjoying the glorious late summer sunshine.

Warm-ups complete

Vicente Iborra

The Spaniard trains on the King Power Stadium turf.

We're edging closer to kick-off!

1 - We're underway

Wijnaldum gets the ball rolling on Filbert Way!

Come on, City!

1 - Easy for Amartey

Liverpool get forward early and it's Robertson who delivers from the left, but Amartey lets it run out of play for a goal-kick.

2 - Welcome, Aleksandar

Huge round of applause from the Blue Army as Dragović takes his first touch of the ball.

3 - Early pressure

A succession of early City corners eventually come to nothing when Danny Ward comes out to collect well.

Decent start from the Foxes!

5 - Chilwell to the rescue!

Liverpool look destined to open the scoring through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but Ben Chilwell does brilliantly to get a foot on his low drive and he knocks it behind for a corner.

... And City eventually clear. Almost for the Reds!

8 - Settled on the ball

Following a frantic start, City are looking composed in possession and are trying to use that to their advantage.

With Islam Slimani and Leo Ulloa up top, they have a rich supply of target men!

10 - Hamer saves

It's Liverpool's turn to go close and, but for a smart save from Ben Hamer, Philippe Coutinho might have put them ahead.

Thankfully, Hamer gets a strong hand to his long-range effort.

Marc Albrighton 14 - Albrighton gallops

The former Aston Villa winger looks to work an opening for City.

Marc Albrighton hurries down the flank as City look to counter after watching the Reds' latest attack fizzle out.

17 - Reds advance

A couple of last-ditch challenges from Wes Morgan and Ben Chilwell help the Foxes quell another dangerous Liverpool attack. So far, the new-look back four have coped well with all the visitors have to offfer.

20 - Gray breaks

A loose ball falls to Demarai Gray deep in his own half and he's off...

The 21-year-old charges up field and looks to find room for a shot, but Danny Ward scoops it up.

23 - Albrighton mops up

A man we're more likely to see at the other end, Marc Albrighton robs Marko Grujic of the ball in his own area.

The 27-year-old then gets it away. It's looking like it'll be another trademark Albrighton display tonight!

26 - Robertson just wide

With Philippe Coutinho lurking in the No.10 role for the Reds, he finds Andrew Robertson in space on the left...

... The Scotland international fizzes it across goal and wide. That was close.

Aleksandar Dragovic

The Austrian defender advances after collecting the ball at the back.

So far, it's been an assured debut from Aleksandar Dragović at King Power Stadium.

Little getting past the man on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. 30 - Dragovic debut

32 - Morgan out

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain's low cross asks difficult questions of Wes Morgan - but he has all the answers.

The Foxes skipper clears under testing circumstances. It's a tight affair on Filbert Way thus far...

35 - A short pause

The players take a moment to hear the thoughts of their managers on the sidelines as Dominic Solanke is given treatment by the Reds medical team.

We're back underway...

Islam Slimani 38 - Putting in a shift

The Algerian forward gets up to win the ball back.

It's a fraught, end-to-end clash so far.

Islam Slimani is one of many required to help out when needed at the back.

41 - Unlucky for Gray

Marc Albrighton curls a searching cross right over Danny Ward in the Liverpool net.

Demarai Gray, running at full pelt, can't quite keep it in at the far post. Nice idea, though!

44 - Tight at the back

Liverpool are trying to plot a route past Morgan and Co. at the back.

Much to their frustration, however, little is getting through.

45 - One minute

The fourth official indicates there will be one minute of stoppage time.

Can either side find an opener?

Wilfred Ndidi

The City man keeps a close eye on Georginio Wijnaldum.

Just as Leo Ulloa sees the ball flash in front of his eyes in the box, the ref calls time on the first half.

Little between either side so far on Filbert Way...Half-time: All square

45 - Back Under Away

47 - Gray over

The Foxes winger is handed a brilliant chance to score with a free-kick from 20 yards out. He can't quite keep his effort down, though, and Liverpool survive.

The visitors, by the way, have Ben Woodburn on for Philippe Coutinho.

49 - Two players down

As Leo Ulloa is handed some treatment to his neck, Georginio Wijnaldum is also being attended to after colliding with Ben Hamer.

Both seem well enough to continue, for now.

52 - Okazaki on!

Leo Ulloa is forced to make way for Shinji Okazaki - and what an introduction!

The Blue Army are on their feet as the Japan striker turns inside his man and locates Gray on the flanks.

Demarai Gray

The Foxes man runs at the Liverpool defence.

Demarai Gray twists and turns on the edge of the box and appears to pick out the bottom corner!

It takes an age to travel and skims just the wrong side of the post. Unlucky...

54 - So close from Gray!

56 - Grujic booked

That wasn't pretty from Marko Grujic on Wilfred Ndidi. The Serbian international goes into Stuart Attwell's book.

60 - More changes?

Yohan Benalouane, Hamza Choudhury and Riyad Mahrez are warming up in front of us in the West Stand...

Ben Chilwell

England U21s left back Ben Chilwell searches for options.

On nights like these, you tend to get the loudest cheers for defensive work.

Ben Chilwell, a City Academy graduate, has already earned a few of those...

OKAZAKI!!!! 1-0 TO CITY! 1-0

It's 1-0 City and what a lovely goal!

Shinji Okazaki brings it down and finds the bottom corner. Super sub!

68 - Reds press

That goal has changed things!

Liverpool have been a threat all match and they appear intent on levelling the scores quickly. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries to pick out a man from wide, but City watch it drift away to safety.

71 - Inches over

Well, that was close. Ben Woodburn has been a hit with Wales lately and he very nearly replicated that form for his club.

His curler, from just outside the box, flew a mere inches over the bar. Nearly.

76 - Settled City

City will be pleased with how they have contained Liverpool since taking the lead.

Only takes a moment of quality to change things, mind you...

Shinji Okazaki

Shinji Okazaki celebrates scoring the opener against Liverpool.

There's that Shinji Okazaki smile we all know and love! 78 - Okazaki celebrates

IT'S TWO! SLIMANI!!

2-0

WHAT A GOAL! Islam Slimani curls a screamer into the top corner!

An absolute beauty from the Algerian!

79 - Gray close again

How didn't that go in? The answer: A fine stop from Danny Ward.

Demarai Gray worked his magic again and, from a tight angle, looked to curl it inside the far post.

The visiting 'keeper was up to it though. Still 2-0.

82 - Choudhury on!

Wilfred Ndidi comes off for Academy graduate Hamza Choudury.

If you've not seen him before, you won't forget him in a hurry...

With an enourmous afro, the young City man is hard to miss on the pitch! Good luck, Hamza

Start of a new career as Hamza Choudhury makes his debut for the foxes

Islam Slimani

City go 2-0 ahead as Islam Slimani curls it into the top corner.

Here's the moment Islam Slimani realised he was about to put City 2-0 up!

It was an outstanding hit from the Algerian - and a crucial one too for the Foxes.

89 - Liverpool come forward

That second goal has taken the sting out of Liverpool's tail here...

They've not really looked the same since Islam Slimani belted it in. Not long now for City to hold out...

90 - Four minutes added on

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of the second half.

It would take a miracle for Liverpool to claw this back, but City need to stay alert nonetheless.

Islam Slimani

Wes Morgan celebrates with Islam Slimani

City are in Round 4 of the Carabao Cup!

Super strikes Shinji Okazaki and Islam Slimani were the difference tonight

The Japanese livewire, Shinji Okazaki! He transformed the game and took it by the scruff of the neck. Leicester looked like a different team when he came on.

Shakespeare delighted

We played on the front foot a lot, lot more in the second half. We played football a lot more in their half. For us to get the first goal gave the whole team a big lift.