Leicester City 3 Liverpool 1: Watch highlights as Jamie Vardy was having a party as his brace helps Foxes sink Jurgen Klopp’s Reds

LEICESTER CITY gave a champion performance as they began life without Claudio Ranieri with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool.

A brace from Jamie Vardy and a stunning Danny Drinkwater strike fired the strugglers to all three points to help their survival hopes.

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Despite the home fans showing their support for the axed Ranieri, just nine months after guiding the club to their shocking Premier League title win, the atmosphere was electric in the King Power.

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Rumours of player discontent costing the Italian his job were quickly eased as the Foxes faithful roared on their side to topple Jurgen Klopp’s men – and severely dent the visitors’ Champions League hopes.

It was Vardy who rewound the clock to break the deadlock on 28 minutes, racing clear after receiving the ball from Marc Albrighton to slide it into the net.

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And it got better before half time as Drinkwater thundered a half-volley past Simon Mignolet from 25 yards.

Liverpool were down and out, and things got worse for Klopp’s side on the hour mark as Vardy grabbed his second of the night. Christian Fuchs sent over a cross from the left, and the England striker got between Lucas and Emre Can to nod into the bottom corner.

Philipe Coutinho pulled a goal back for the Reds with 20 minutes remaining, but that was not enough to stop the party in Leicester.

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Stats, facts, goals and lols…

• It was a sombre mood pre-match at the King Power Stadium as the home faithful mourned the sacking of Ranieri. And there was even a hearse with "RIP Football" emblazoned on the back driving around the nearby streets.
• Liverpool went into the clash with history on their side. The Reds had won more away games against reigning Premier League champions than any other side. But their hopes of adding to that tally were dashed before half time.
  

  

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• And Leicester will have had extra reason to have fancied their chances of snatching all three points after taking the lead. The Foxes are the only side with a 100% winning record when scoring first this season, this being the sixth time.
• Vardy's opener ended a long barren spell in front of goal for the champions. When he had the net bulging, it ended a run of 637 minutes without scoring - and it was their first league goal of 2017.

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• And Vardy just loves playing Liverpool. He has bagged five goals in the top-flight against them. That's more than any other Leicester player has versus another team.
• Danny Drinkwater's thumping strike was also his first of the season - his last coming on the final match of the last campaign.
• Adam Lallana's defending on the third goal was laughable. His efforts to prevent Christian Fuch's cross into the box emphasised how Liverpool appear to have given up on the season. Lethargic, uninterested and lame.

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• Philippe Coutinho was undoubtedly the talisman for Klopp's boys earlier in the season. But since returning from injury he has struggled to replicate that. His consolation goal was his first in 12 games.
• The Reds have collected some mammoth victories against the big boys this season, but it's their form against the strugglers that has left them lagging behind the top boys. Four of their five Premier League defeats have come against sides who had begun the day in the relegation zone.

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Big picture

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Social says

Dream Team Ratings

Leicester: Schmeichel 8, Simpson 6, Morgan 6, Huth 7, Fuchs 8, Mahrez 6 (Gray 80, 5), Drinkwater 8, Ndidi 8, Albrighton 8 (Chilwell 90+1, 5), Okazaki 6 (Amartey 69, 6), Vardy 9

Subs not used: King, Slimani, Zieler, Ulloa
Goals: Vardy (28, 60), Drinkwater (39)

Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Clyne 6, Matip 6, Lucas 6 (Woodburn 84, 6), Milner 6, Lallana 6 (Origi 66, 6), Can 8, Wijnaldum 6, Mane 6 (Moreno 66, 6), Firmino 6, Coutinho 8

Subs not used: Karius, Klavan, Stewart, Alexander-Arnold
Goal: Coutinho (68)

What they said

Jamie Vardy, speaking to Sky Sports: "We've come in for a lot of unfair stick with things that have been in the press but you've seen that the lads wanted to react.

"The performance did that and we want to do it consistently. I couldn't put my finger on why we haven't been doing that regularly. We've been working hard and it's just not been happening.

"I wouldn't say it's a case of more effort. Shakes [Craig Shakespeare] asked me to play higher up. I did that and I managed to get in behind quite a lot.

"I've been very frustrated with the amount of goals I've got this season but hopefully these will push me on.

"We needed to show that we've got that fight and win or lose, as long as the performance was right, we could hold our heads up high."

Danny Drinkwater told Sky Sports: "It feels good. We need to enjoy it and build on it from here. You can call it a reaction. We've come in for a bit of stick.

"We make our game on the basics and we went back to basics - forcing mistakes, pressing high up the pitch - and that caused them problems and helped us."