Dominik Szoboszlai’s rocket helps Liverpool avoid upset against Leicester

Another moment of brilliance from Dominik Szoboszlai sealed yet another comeback from Liverpool as the 2022 Carabao Cup winners ruined Leicester’s plans for an upset at Anfield.

The Hungary captain had been on the pitch for only five minutes when he edged Jürgen Klopp’s side ahead with a thunderous drive that kissed the underside of Jakub Stolarczyk’s crossbar en route to goal. The Championship club had taken the lead through Kasey McAteer but second half strikes from Cody Gakpo, Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota ensured Liverpool came from behind to win for the fifth time in eight matches this season.

There is no VAR until the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, in the interests of fairness to all clubs in the EFL competition, and Liverpool twice had reason to rue that decision in the opening exchanges at Anfield.

Complaints arrived in the buildup to Leicester’s early breakthrough when Kostas Tsimikas appeared to be clipped by Marc Albrighton as he attempted to halt a counterattack from his own free-kick. The referee Tim Robinson waved play on, Yunus Akgun broke away and threaded a pass behind an exposed Liverpool defence into the path of McAteer. The 21-year-old midfielder displayed excellent composure to beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a cool, low finish.

Complaint number two was the absence of a penalty review when James Justin caught Ben Doak with a clumsy challenge inside the area after the 17-year-old winger had found space to attack for the first time. Robinson was unmoved once more. The charmed life of the Leicester goal then helped Enzo Maresca’s risk-taking team to preserve their slender lead.

Doak, one of 10 changes from the Liverpool side that beat West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday, struck the bar from a tight angle after the goalkeeper Stolarczyk parried Jarell Quansah’s fluffed shot. Doak and Jota had both failed to convert at close range from a corner seconds earlier.

There was another reprieve for Leicester when Tsimikas found Gakpo completely unmarked at the back post from a free-kick. The forward’s header beat the visitors’ commanding keeper but was blocked on the goalline by the former Liverpool and Everton defender Conor Coady.

Leicester’s determination to play out from the back under Maresca is admirable. Against a team of Liverpool’s quality and relentless pressing, however, it asked for trouble. And so it proved when Gakpo levelled moments after the restart.

Wataru Endo intercepted an ambitious clearance from Albrighton, enabling Ryan Gravenberch to find compatriot Gakpo in space inside the visitors’ area. The Netherlands international turned sharply to beat Stolarczyk with a precise finish into the bottom corner. Leicester appeals for offside against the goalscorer were ignored and unchecked.

Liverpool hit the bar for a second time when a neat exchange between Doak and Harvey Elliott resulted in Gakpo sending a looping header against the woodwork.

The introduction of Szoboszlai and Darwin Núñez strengthened Liverpool’s hold on the tie and Anfield was in raptures when the midfielder collected Endo’s pass and gave Stolarczyk no chance with a venomous shot from the edge of the ‘D’. Superb covering from Quansah and Ibrahima Konaté denied the visitors the chance of an equaliser before Jota scored an exquisite third, sending Quansah’s low cross in off the far post with a deft touch of the instep.