Wout Faes scored two own goals as Liverpool came from behind to beat Leicester in their final Premier League game of 2022.
The Foxes made the ideal start when they took the lead after just four minutes as poor defending by the hosts allowed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to race through on goal before firing past Alisson.
Both sides had opportunities to score after that in an open and entertaining first half but Liverpool’s equaliser came in hugely fortuitous circumstances.
With seven minutes to go the break, Faes stuck out a boot to try and divert Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross behind but instead the ball looped over goalkeeper Danny Ward and into the back of the net.
It got worse for Faes and Leicester seconds before the break when the defender again managed to put the ball into the back of his own net, this time firing in after Darwin Nunez’s chipped shot had bounced back off the post.
It was the tonic Liverpool needed and they really should have put the game out of Leicester’s reach in the second half, with Mohamed Salah putting a decent chance wide of the post with only Ward to beat while Nunez – not for the first time in recent games – failed to make the most of a couple of decent opportunities.
In the end, Faes’ two own goals were enough to give Liverpool the victory that moves them to within two points of the top four.
Defeat for Leicester, meanwhile, means they remain 13th and four points above the relegation zone.
Faes’ unfortunate night
It was a night to forget for Faes but one that was also so uncharacteristic, with the Belgian defender having been a huge player for the Foxes since joining on transfer deadline day back in September.
He has been a key factor in Leicester’s rise off the bottom of the table and away from the relegation zone but it felt like everything that could go wrong for him did so here.
Faes arguably could have done better for the first goal. Had he left it, then goalkeeper Ward – who clearly shouted for him to do so – had a straightforward gather at his near post, but instead Faes made the most awkward of connections to send the ball looping over the Wales international.
The second goal, however, was just plain unfortunate as Faes’ momentum as he rushed to get back and clear off the line meant he could do little when the ball from Nunez’s shot bounced back off the post and into his path.
Faes becomes just the fourth player to score two own goals in a single Premier League game, after Jamie Carragher (1999, Liverpool vs Manchester United), Michael Proctor (2003, Sunderland vs Charlton) and Jonathan Walters (2013, Stoke vs Chelsea).
Player of the match
Dewsbury-HallKiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Liverpool
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Squad number43Player nameBajceticAverage rating
6.00
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Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating
5.97
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Squad number15Player nameOxlade-ChamberlainAverage rating
5.92
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Squad number27Player nameNúñezAverage rating
5.91
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Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
5.90
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Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
5.89
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Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
5.82
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Squad number21Player nameTsimikasAverage rating
5.80
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Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
5.80
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Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating
5.74
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Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating
5.68
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Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating
5.63
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Squad number32Player nameMatipAverage rating
5.63
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Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating
5.50
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Squad number8Player nameKeïtaAverage rating
5.38
Leicester City
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Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-HallAverage rating
6.36
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Squad number7Player nameBarnesAverage rating
5.89
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Squad number20Player nameDaka
Average rating5.73
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Average rating5.70
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Squad number1Player nameWard
Average rating5.68
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Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
Average rating5.62
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Average rating5.59
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Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Average rating5.57
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
Average rating5.56
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Squad number18Player nameAmartey
Average rating5.50
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
Average rating5.49
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Average rating5.49
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
Average rating5.29
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Squad number3Player nameFaes
Average rating5.19
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 86′minutes
- 32Matip
- 4van Dijk
- 26RobertsonSubstituted forTsimikasat 62′minutes
- 19ElliottSubstituted forBajceticat 86′minutes
- 14Henderson
- 6Thiago Alcántara
- 11Salah
- 27Núñez
- 15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forKeïtaat 62′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 5Konaté
- 8Keïta
- 13Adrián
- 21Tsimikas
- 28Carvalho
- 42Clark
- 43Bajcetic
- 50Doak
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ward
- 27Castagne
- 18Amartey
- 3Faes
- 33Thomas
- 25NdidiSubstituted forTielemansat 59′minutes
- 42SoumaréBooked at 67mins
- 17PérezSubstituted forIheanachoat 71′minutes
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 7Barnes
- 20DakaSubstituted forVardyat 15′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Söyüncü
- 8Tielemans
- 9Vardy
- 11Albrighton
- 14Iheanacho
- 23Vestergaard
- 24Mendy
- 31Iversen
- 34Brunt
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 53,343
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 2, Leicester City 1.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Leicester City 1.
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Offside, Leicester City. Luke Thomas tries a through ball, but Timothy Castagne is caught offside.
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Foul by Thiago (Liverpool).
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Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Thiago (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).
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Foul by Joe Gomez (Liverpool).
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Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Wout Faes.
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Attempt blocked. Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Naby Keïta.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Stefan Bajcetic replaces Harvey Elliott because of an injury.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Joe Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas with a cross.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Danny Ward.
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Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Attempt blocked. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Thiago.
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Offside, Leicester City. Timothy Castagne tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Naby Keïta (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
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Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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