Liverpool on brink of title as Trent Alexander-Arnold goal relegates Leicester

By Jonathan Veal, PA

Trent Alexander-Arnold put the Premier League title champagne on ice for Liverpool after scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win which confirmed Leicester’s relegation.

Alexander-Arnold, making his comeback from injury, climbed off the bench to score the 76th-minute winner at the King Power and put his side on the brink of glory.

The Reds will get their hands on a 20th top-flight title and a second in the Premier League era if Arsenal fail to beat Crystal Palace in midweek.

Liverpool fans will surely be hoping the Gunners do not slip up as it would mean they get the chance to see their side win the title at Anfield against Tottenham next Sunday – something they were robbed of in 2019-20 as their success under Jurgen Klopp was secured behind closed doors due to Covid-19.

While Alexander-Arnold has been in the treatment room both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have signed new contracts. It remains to be seen whether the right-back will follow suit, but if he does not he ensured his legacy by scoring such an important goal.

While it will be a season of celebration for Arne Slot’s men, it has been one of misery for Leicester, who have suffered their second relegation in three seasons and return to the Championship.

Boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has lost 16 of his 20 league games in charge, has hardly been forthcoming in committing himself to the club in the second tier next season and his future could now be cleared up.

There has been a clear disconnect between the fans and the Foxes hierarchy and a plane flew over the stadium before the game displaying a banner reading “King Power clueless – sack the board”.

This day has been a long time coming – their fans have not seen a home league goal since December 8th – but it came on the back of one of their better performances of the season as they held the champions at bay until the final 15 minutes.

Salah could have set the wheels in motion much earlier but he missed a golden chance in the third minute, hitting against the post and watching it bounce across goal and hit the other one.

There was a scare at the other end soon after when Wilfred Ndidi also hit the upright with a drive from the edge of the area, as Salah was then denied again when Mads Hermansen saved from a quick counter attack.

The Egypt forward then wasted another big opportunity before the break when he skied a chance wide at the far post.

It was one-way traffic after the restart as Liverpool pushed for the opener, with Cody Gakpo seeing a shot blocked by Ricardo Pereira, Hermansen denying Kostas Tsimikas and Salah fizzing inches wide.

Leicester were somehow still in it and thought they had ended their home scoring drought, which now stands at 133 days, when Conor Coady headed into an empty net but the referee blew for a Patson Daka foul on Alisson.

The hosts were finally breached with 14 minutes to go as Salah and Diogo Jota were both denied by the woodwork but Alexander-Arnold, who was brought on five minutes earlier, rifled the follow-up through a sea of bodies to spark mass scenes of celebration.