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The Egyptian scored twice to seal a 2-1 win for the Reds that moves them right back into the race for a top-four finish

Right then, is the game which finally gets Liverpool's Premier League season going? The Reds have their first away win of the league campaign, and a huge one too, as Mohamed Salah’s first-half brace saw them beat rivals Tottenham on a day when defeat may well have spelt the end of their hopes of a top-four finish.

Instead, Jurgen Klopp’s side move to within seven points of Spurs, who occupy fourth spot. Liverpool also have a game in hand, and had been buoyed earlier in the day by defeats for fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and Manchester United.

Most importantly for Klopp were signs that the spirit and courage of his side, questioned regularly during the opening weeks of the campaign, is starting to return. Salah’s brilliance gave them control of the game, but they had to dig deep after half-time, and were hanging on at times after Harry Kane reduced the deficit 20 minutes from the end.

Hang on they did, though, and they know a win at home to struggling Southampton next week would ensure a far more positive mood at Anfield heading into the break for the World Cup.

Light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe, just maybe.

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  The Winners

  Mohamed Salah:

  How's that for a big contribution in a big game? When Liverpool needed a hero, the man who delivers so often for them delivered again. Salah's first-half double, both goals clinically taken, gave Klopp's side a lead they would hold on to for dear life, and showed, once again, why the Egyptian is still the Reds' best and most decisive player. He has 14 goals in all competitions this season, and he had ice in his veins as he twice left Hugo Lloris and the Spurs defence stranded before half-time. His first was an instinctive strike from Darwin Nunez's pass, fired low and hard before the goalkeeper could react. His second was a lovely dinked finish, after Eric Dier had made a pig's ear of a back header. And throughout, there were moments of pure class as the 30-year-old continually bought his side time and got them up the field when the pressure was mounting. He might have completed his hat-trick, but didn't get hold of an effort from another Nunez pass. By the time he was replaced in stoppage time by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the away end was singing his name. No wonder. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's match-winner, again.

  Darwin Nunez:

  Another game, another perfect encapsulation of why Liverpool fans have fallen in love with their new £64m ($72m) centre-forward. Nunez didn't actually play as a centre-forward here. Not to begin with, anyway. He started out on the left, and it looked an inspired call by Jurgen Klopp as the Uruguayan tore into Spurs from the first whistle. He tested Lloris with a stinging volley inside three minutes, curled another effort just wide soon after before setting up Salah for the opener with an astute pass having gathered Andy Robertson's low cross. Nunez created another chance for Salah after the break and finished, again, having taken more shots than anyone else on the field. He didn't score this time, but boy did he graft for his team, popping up at left back and right wing, competing for everything and showing plenty of quality. He earned his hug from Klopp, and his ovation from the travelling Kop.

  Ibrahima Konate:

  How different could Liverpool's season look had Konate not damaged his knee on the eve of the campaign? The Frenchman is making a huge difference to Klopp's defence, and he was immense again here, delivering a mammoth performance alongside Virgil van Dijk as the Reds protected their precious advantage in the second half. Konate's pace and strength make him a huge asset next to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was targeted relentlessly by Spurs' switches of play, but it was the 23-year-old's positional play which stood out here. Time and again, he was in the right place at the right time. He made twice as many clearances as anyone else on the field, and won possession back more times than any other Liverpool player. Tottenham tested him, but even in stoppage time there he was, stretching at the near post to get a vital touch to yet another left-wing delivery. He probably won't be at the World Cup, which is a shame given his quality, but Liverpool will be glad to wrap him in cotton wool while the rest go through the ringer in Qatar. Konate is Van Dijk's partner, now and in the future.

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  The Losers

  Eric Dier:

  Oh dear, Dier. What was he thinking? There was little danger as Alisson Becker launched a long, straight clearance right onto the head of Tottenham's right-sided centre-back, but the England international made an absolute mess of his attempted back-header, and with Salah about that is a fatal error to make. Dier did try to make amends thereafter, stepping forward regularly after half-time, but when he got his head on Ivan Perisic's corner, Alisson was equal to it, and the Liverpool goalkeeper then turned over the Spurs man's mis-hit cross. Thursday sees the announcement of Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the World Cup. Dier will be in it, but whether that says more about him or the dearth of centre-back options at England's disposal, we'll leave for you to judge…

  Emerson Royal:

  Dier wasn't the only Spurs man to have a nightmare on the day, with Emerson Royal targeted by the home fans after delivering a haphazard performance at right wing back. His substitution for Matt Doherty, midway through the second half, drew the loudest cheers of the day to that point. Moments earlier, the Brazilian had horrendously overhit an attempted cross from wide on the right, which kind of summed up his afternoon. It is hard to imagine he'll be starting against Leeds next week.

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  Liverpool Ratings: Defence

  Alisson Becker (7/10):

  Got away with one spill from Hojbjerg in the first half. Kick led to Salah's second goal. Got away with one moment of hesitation on the ball and was well beaten by Kane. Safe hands when needed.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (7/10):

  Some of the most sweetly-struck passes you could ever wish to see, mixed with some scary moments defensively. Targeted by Spurs' relentless crossfield balls and had a tough test. Stood up to it for the most part.

  Ibrahima Konate (8/10):

  Outstanding. Was so often in the right place at the right time. Is making a huge difference.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Controlled Kane well until Kulusevski came on. Got his head on a few crosses late on which helped his side hang on for the win.

  Andy Robertson (8/10):

  Prominent early and linked up well with Nunez. Showed remarkable energy levels throughout.

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  Midfield

  Fabinho (7/10):

  Much better. Was strong and used the ball well. Had a tough time in the last half hour but this was a better performance.

  Thiago Alcantara (6/10):

  Helped Liverpool play through the thirds well in the first half, but was too casual in the second and looked heavy legged.

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Sure of touch and non-stop work ethic. More than held his own in a super-intense contest.

Jordan Rhodes’ recent form has presented Sheffield Wednesday with a fresh problem.

The Owls’ club-record £8m signing is out of contract in the summer and after scoring the most goals since Darren Moore’s appointment, he looks to finally be finding his goalscoring boots once again.

A lot of his Hillsborough career has been forgettable.

Indeed, the 31-year-old talisman, who is just eight more strikes from becoming the Championship’s all-time record holder, has only scored 19 goals in 103 appearances for the club – he joined in February 2017.

In that time, he’s even had a stint away on loan to Norwich, helping the club to the league title. Canaries boss Daniel Farke dubbed Rhodes “the most special, unique guy I’ve worked with,” so clearly he left an impression.

Moore is clearly a fan of his, having worked with him at Blackburn Rovers in the past, too. The 46-year-old lauded the Scotsman in his very first press conference, he said (via YorkshireLive):

“Jordan is a good striker. He can finish and we don’t doubt that finishing ability.

“There’s plenty more football left in Jordan. There’s a wonderful talent if we are looking at him as an isolated figure.

“He’s a goalscorer, and he knows where the back of the net is.”

To make the situation worse, this sudden upturn in form has coincided in interest ahead of the summer transfer window, and local rivals Huddersfield Town are among the teams keen to land him.

That move would make a ton of sense given the Terriers’ lack of striking options, but the Owls simply cannot let that happen. Instead, Dejphon Chansiri must offer all he can do to keep hold of him.

His brace against Barnsley last time out was atypical for a poacher – a deft, well-placed header, and neat, calm finish. Speaking after the match, the smiling £810k-rated forward spoke about his mood at the club. He said (via YorkshireLive):

“I feel like I’m playing with a smile on my face, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s nice to be out there and it’s nice to be wanted again. I’m doing my best.”

If that’s the case, then Rhodes is happy at Wednesday, happy under Moore and perhaps would accept an extension. If the former West Brom coach is to be the long-term manager here, then he ought to get to keep his goalscoring talisman.

Chansiri must tie the 14-time international down before it’s too late. He cannot leave for Huddersfield, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday handed fresh injury boost…

From Robert Lewandowski to Erling Haaland and Karim Benzema, GOAL rounds up Europe's top scorers in the 2021-22 season

See the 2022-23 European Golden Shoe list here

The 2021-22 Golden Shoe was fiercely contested, as star strikers from across Europe battled it out to earn the honour of being the continent's top scorer. Robert Lewandowski came out on top with 35 goals, retaining the prize he won the season before.

The Polish striker fended off competition from the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema among others to clinch the accolade.

GOAL tallies up all the top goalscorers from across Europe's top leagues in 2021-22.

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  1Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 35 goals (70)

  Robert Lewandowski seems to go from strength to strength at Bayern Munich and, even at the age of 33, is showing no signs of slowing down. The striker is the defending holder of the European Golden Shoe and could very well win it two years in a row. He hit the ground running during the start of the 2021-22 Bundesliga campaign and has maintained momentum through the season.

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  2Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 28 goals (56)

  Kylian Mbappe struck 27 goals in Ligue 1 last season and now has the added assistance of Lionel Messi to tee him up at Paris Saint-Germain. The France star endured a slow start to the campaign, but will undoubtedly expect to be there or thereabouts when it comes to the end of the season.

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  3Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 27 goals (54)

  This season has been one for the marked resurgence of Karim Benzema, with the Real Madrid veteran still proving an enormous asset to his team. After a productive summer with France during Euro 2020, Benzema has continued his form for Los Blancos, scoring a hat-trick against Celta Vigo and now a double against Mallorca.

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  4Ciro Immobile | Lazio | 27 goals (54)

  Lazio star Ciro Immobile scored a whopping 20 goals in Serie A last season as they finished sixth in the table, and will no doubt try to best his record. Now a European Championship winner with Italy, the striker will be eager to push for a higher finish in Serie A this year.

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

When Kieran Gibbs left Arsenal for West Brom after spending over 11 seasons at the club, he remarked that he would learn how to improve defensively at his new team. Arsene Wenger was asked about those comments shortly after and made an apt statement which has rung true of several players after they departed north London for pastures new.

“Once someone takes the decision to leave I wish them well and focus on my squad, but just look at the performances of the players who left us and then come back to me about it,” he said in 2017.

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

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  Emmanuel Petit

  Petit joined Arsenal from Monaco in 1997 after working with Wenger when the Frenchman was manager of the Ligue 1 side. The magnificent partnership between Petit and Patrick Vieira saw him make 85 appearances in three years before deciding to join Barcelona in the summer of 2000.

  However, an injury-plagued spell coupled with poor performances saw him eventually return to the Premier League with Chelsea. Three seasons later, Petit retired from professional football.

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  Alex Song

  Arsenal's search for a defensive midfielder was eventually narrowed down to Cameroonian star Song. He initially struggled at the heart of the Gunners midfield before being sent on loan to Charlton where he honed his defensive qualities.

  In the 2011/12 season he formed an exquisite partnership with Robin van Persie when he recorded 13 assists. 

  At the end of the season he joined Barcelona but struggled to get past Sergio Busquets in the team. 

  Following two disappointing campaigns with Barcelona he had mixed spells at West Ham and Russian side Rubin Kazan. He now plays for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League.

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  Patrick Vieira

  Vieira won three Premier League trophies and four FA Cup titles during his nine-year stay at Arsenal, captaining the club through the 49-game unbeaten season and making over 400 appearances for the Gunners.

  He left for Juventus in July 2005 after Wenger accepted that he would need to let the Frenchman go in order for Cesc Fabregas to become the new mainstay of Arsenal's midfield.

  Interestingly, Vieira returned to Highbury a year later when Juventus faced Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and was culpable for one of Arsenal's goals after Robert Pires tackled him and helped set up Fabregas to score.

  Spells at Inter and Manchester City followed but Vieira's quality began to diminish towards the latter stages of his career.

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  Alexander Hleb

  An exciting pass master with the ability to create something out of nothing, Hleb was part of an impressive Arsenal team which almost won the Premier League in the 2007/08 season.

  When Barcelona came calling the Belarusian couldn't say no – but it was a decision that he came to regret as he failed to impress at Camp Nou.

  “At some point, I realised, ‘Oh God! I’m leaving Arsenal!’ When Arsene said that it was a matter of hours, I felt devastated. It was really hard for me to accept. He even texted me as I was fishing. ‘Alex, I won’t let you go, we need you here’. I cried when I read it.”

  Hleb has since admitted that he regrets ever leaving Arsenal. Three loan spells with Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg later, he is now back in his homeland playing for BATE Borisov.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who scored 45 goals for Newcastle United, believes the only reason Brighton will have a psychological edge over the Magpies on Saturday is because they won their last game, and thinks it’ll be two completely different teams facing off at the Amex.

Lee believes Newcastle will be feeling like they won their last game, however, because of the nature in which Jamaal Lascelles’ equaliser came about in the final seconds.

Brighton have become one of the best sides to watch under Graham Potter as they play attractive and attacking football, and Lee believes it will be two polar opposite ways of playing on Saturday evening.

Speaking on what the two teams’ last result will mean for Saturday and his expectations for the crunch game, Lee told FFC exclusively:

“I think the only reason they’ve got a psychological edge is because they won their last game and you always look back at your last result, but we didn’t lose our last game. So, we can look back at our last game like we won because of the late goal.

“I think it’s two teams that play different football. They probably play one of the best styles of football in the league but it’s two teams that have the same problem, they can’t score goals.

“They’ll play good football, and you know that they’ll try and play through you but, they have the same problem as us and that is they can’t score goals.”

Brighton put three past Newcastle in the reverse fixture, which is the most goals the Seagulls have scored in a single Premier League game this season.

Newcastle could find themselves in the bottom three before they kick-off on Saturday evening if Fulham beat Leeds tonight.

Football is a game played by fathers and sons the world over, but few of them have had successful careers at the professional level

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  PIERRE & PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG

  Arsenal's record signing comes from a footballing family, with father Pierre Aubameyang featuring 80 times for Gabon between 1985 and 1998 while playing for various clubs in France. All three of Pierre's sons are Gabon internationals, with Catalina and Willy both playing in defence and Pierre-Emerick regarded as one of the world's best forwards.

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  IAN WRIGHT & SHAUN & BRADLEY

  An Arsenal legend who played in the 1997-98 Premier League winning side, Ian Wright played 33 times for England. His eldest son Shaun, who he adopted with his wife at the age of eight, picked up three more caps than his father and played for Manchester City and Chelsea, while Bradley also played for City and now is one of the biggest names in Major League Soccer, twice winning the Golden Boot.

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  ARNOR & EIDUR GUDJOHNSEN

  Notably, the only father and son to play in the same international fixture, Arnor and Eidur Gudjohnsen never actually were on the field at the same time as the younger family member came on as a substitute for his father against Estonia in 1996. Both are extremely popular in their home country and have each been named as the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year.

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  JEAN & YOURI DJORKAEFF

  Defender Jean Djorkaeff was part of the France squad at the 1966 World Cup and spent time at both PSG and Marseille during his club career. His son Youri was a World Cup winner in 1998 with France and then was on the winning side at Euro 2000. The younger Djorkaeff also lined out for PSG, winning the Cup Winners' Cup with the Paris club before leaving for Inter, where he won the UEFA Cup.

This season can essentially be classed as a write-off for Wolves. They won’t achieve European football and they’re looking unlikely to secure a top-half finish too.

With that in mind, Jeff Shi better start preparing for next term.

What’s the word?

Wolves are one of a number of sides vying for the signature of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba this summer.

That’s according to the Express, who began their report this week by stating Manchester United have placed him under their microscope after scouting him.

They suggest that Leicester and Wolves have also scouted the defender on numerous occasions but in recent days, he’s been urged to join Barcelona.

It’s thought that Liverpool also have an interest in Tapsoba, a young defender who could cost a considerable amount. Sport suggests his value is at around €40m (£34.2m), while he currently earns £37k-per-week.

Perfect for Nuno

One of the Old Gold’s biggest problems this season has been their transition between a three-man and four-man backline.

The inconsistency in rhythm it’s caused has plagued the squad and as a result, they’ve struggled this term. Their clean sheet against Leicester last month, for instance, was just their second in the league since October.

Therefore, the addition of a player like Tapsoba could be the missing piece of the jigsaw. Not only is he adept in a back four but he’s also been very capable of playing in a back three. Crucially, he usually plays as the left centre-back, the clear weakness in the Wolves defence with Willy Boly and Conor Coady on the right and in the middle.

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Blessed with enormous levels of strength and pace, his ability to recover and batter opponents aside is truly eye-catching. A quick look at the statistics tells you all you need to know.

So far this term, the 22-year-old has won an impressive 2.1 aerial duels per game and produced 1.9 tackles per match. For context, no centre-back at Wolves has won more in the tackle department than Tapsoba has.

He’s a player that’s earned rave reviews and thus, it would be a big surprise if Wolves could lure him away from the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona to Molineux instead.

Germany legend and Leverkusen managing director Rudi Voller once said: “His really big potential makes Edmond Tapsoba a very interesting proposition as a player.”

Their sporting director, Simon Rolfes, added: “Edmond Tapsoba was a regular first choice at Guimaraes at the age of 20 and, in addition to his defensive ability, he’s also dangerous in front of goal.”

Because of his pace, he is able to recover incredibly quickly. Last season, the young centre-back made 13.05 recoveries per 90 minutes. For context, the highest in the Bundesliga was 16.21.

He also made 5.03 counter-pressing recoveries per 90 minutes, something that demonstrates his ability to fit into even the most demanding and intense teams.

The Burkina Faso international is clearly blessed with a lot of talent. Wolves must do as much as they can to secure his signature. He’d surely fit seamlessly into their defence.

AND in other news, Wolves could find another Neto by swooping for “unpredictable” £101k-p/w Mendes client…

Arsenal's best player has moved to Old Trafford, much to the dismay of both the Gunners and Manchester City, who had been favourites to sign him

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  Winner: Jose Mourinho

  It's been quite the start to the New Year for Jose Mourinho. Having successfully drawn Antonio Conte into an undignified war of words with his customary lack of humility, the Manchester United boss has landed Pep Guardiola's primary January transfer target. 

  Guardiola, of course, fully backed Manchester City's decision to withdraw from the race to sign Alexis Sanchez, having understandably concluded that the Chile international was not sufficiently committed to joining the club, given his sudden interest in earning more money elsewhere. 

  However, Mourinho will not care in the slightest. After being forced to endure so much talk of how everyone wants to play for Pep, the Portuguese will be delighted at having shown the Catalan that both he and United retain the ability to trump their great rivals.

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  Winner: Fernando Felicevich

  As we learned from the farcical fees involved in Paul Pogba's return to Old Trafford in 2016, Manchester United, like so many other clubs, have no issue with heeding to the outrageous demands of avaricious agents. 

  Therefore, it was not in the least bit surprising that the Red Devils were willing to deal with Alexis Sanchez's representative, Fernando Felicevich, who had agreed financial terms with City on behalf of his client, only to then break that accord when it became clear that there was more money to be made at United. 

  Indeed, the total package is now set to surpass the £60m deal that City had agreed with Arsenal last summer, which is staggering when one considers that we are talking about a 29-year-old with no re-sale value.

  Given the source of their considerable wealth, City are hardly in a position to take the moral high ground on such matters but both the club and Guardiola deserve credit for refusing to be drawn into a bidding war by Felicevich. 

  It would be nice if other clubs followed suit and adopted a similarly strong stance against agents but, at the end of the day, City took a stand because they could afford to do so.

  Guardiola ultimately decided that with Gabriel Jesus set to make a quicker-than-expected return from injury, the runaway Premier League leaders did not need to sign Alexis at all costs, particularly as making him their highest-paid player could have destabilised the squad.

  United, by contrast, wanted to make a statement signing and are willing to pay whatever it takes to stop their city rivals from becoming even stronger, even if it meant making another agent even richer. 

  So, while Felicevich has acted with little integrity, he is poised to secure both a transfer and more money for his client.

  In short, he is getting exactly what both he and Alexis wanted and, in the modern game, the bottom line really is all that matters.

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  Winner: Sergio Aguero

  "It's an honour for me to have Aguero under my command," Pep Guardiola enthused earlier this month. "Aguero is the kind of player that in a matter of seconds can score two goals. He is an essential player for us."

  In light of the persistent pursuit of Alexis, Aguero could have been forgiven for querying his manager's definition of the word 'essential', given the Chilean's arrival would have seen him slip to third place in the pecking order at the Etihad, behind both the former Barcelona forward and Gabriel Jesus. 

  As it is, though, Aguero is now in a position to continue strengthening the argument that he should remain City's first-choice centre-forward, even after his young Brazilian team-mate returns from injury. 

  Sunday's trip to Anfield did not go well for Aguero, whose ineffective display contrasted starkly with the exhibition of exuberance by Liverpool counterpart Roberto Firmino at the other end of the field.

  However, the Argentina international has still scored four times in four outings since the turn of the year and now, following the collapse of the Alexis deal, he has even more time as City's undisputed No.9 to prove himself truly essential to the City cause.

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  Loser: Arsene Wenger

  To paraphrase a famous movie quote, you either leave a hero, or hang around long enough to become the villain. This is the sorry fate now facing Arsene Wenger, who runs the risk of ruining his legacy with his gross mismanagement of Arsenal's season. 

  Indeed, for some disgruntled fans, the Frenchman has long since become the cause of the club's problems, not the solution to them. 

  Wenger holds the kind of power at the Emirates that is now almost non-existent anywhere else in football, so he has to take the majority share of the blame for the fact that the Gunners allowed their two best players, Alexis and Mesut Ozil, enter the final year of their respective contracts, thus creating a debilitating air of uncertainty surrounding the club.

  As a result of Wenger's stubbornness and total lack of a contingency plan – which was painfully exposed by the ham-fisted attempt to sign Thomas Lemar before the close of the summer transfer window – Arsenal are now set to lose their main forward to a top-four rival midway through a season which already looks likely to end without qualification for the Champions League.

  Whereas Liverpool were prepared and extremely well remunerated for the loss of Philippe Coutinho, Arsenal are desperately trying to plug the holes on a sinking ship. 

  Indeed, should Arsenal fail to finish in the top four for the second successive season, it is difficult to foresee them reclaiming their position among England's elite any time soon. 

  Wenger has had several chances to bow out on top, with an FA Cup win. Instead, he looks set to leave Arsenal exactly where he found them 22 years ago: languishing in mid-table.

  That would be a sad end for the man responsible for 'The Invincibles'. But, to paraphrase another famous movie quote, if Wenger is looking for the guilty, he need only look into a mirror.

Nottingham Forest lost only their second league match in their last nine games on Tuesday evening, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Luton Town.

The loss came courtesy of a 64th minute goal from Hatters’ midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe but the outcome could have been a lot different had Glenn Murray not turned in a shocking performance at the City Ground.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion striker played the full 90 minutes for Forest, earning the lowest WhoScored rating of the entire home side’s starting XI; just 6.06.

Throughout the game, Chris Hughton’s men managed to create a number of chances, taking 19 shots in all, with Murray providing six of those. However, he only managed to hit the target once with those attempts.

Despite winning five aerial duels, Murray’s all-round play flattered to deceive and was a huge factor behind the hosts losing the game.

Only substitutes Sammy Ameobi, Lyle Taylor and Alex Mighten had fewer touches than the striker’s 32.

Even when he did receive the ball, the 37-year-old was simply not able to do anything with it.

He could only produce a poor pass accuracy of 46.7%, which is worse than Luton goalkeeper Simo Sluga’s rate of 48.2%. It all meant that he could only complete a shocking 15 passes throughout the 90 minutes.

His poor showing did not end there though, with Murray racking up six unsuccessful touches in the game – more than any other player on the pitch.

With Forest reportedly paying the hitman as much as £30,000 per week in wages, it would be fair to assume that they were expecting a lot more from the former Premier League striker.

He will certainly have to improve upon his dire performance against Luton if he is to remain in the Forest starting XI under Chris Hughton.

AND in other news, take a look at how we evaluated Anthony Knockaert’s performance against Derby County last week…

Ahead of what will be a huge match for Leicester City in their chase for the title, they have been dealt a major injury blow. Brendan Rodgers confirmed that the problem James Justin picked up during their narrow FA Cup win over Brighton is the team’s worst fears.

Speaking to the club’s website, the manager revealed that the 22-year-old has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and will be undergoing surgery.

Since signing for the Foxes in 2019, Justin has been a revelation in the Leicester defence. This season in particular, the versatile right-back has been a stalwart for Rodgers, playing every single minute of Premier League football so far. In that time, he contributed nine clean sheets, two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

But this is now Justin’s season over. Steve Howey spoke with Football FanCast about the impact of his injury and how it will affect Leicester moving into their clash with Liverpool this afternoon.

“It’s a huge blow,” the former Foxes man said. “I think when you’ve got a player that you can rely on week in, week out, not only to play every minute, but to play every minute with the high quality that he gives Leicester then of course he’s going to be a big miss.”

Justin’s ability to play on either flank as well as in midfield has made him an indispensable cog in Rodgers’ well-oiled Leicester machine. According to Transfermarkt, the youngster has played just five Premier League games in his natural position at right-back. For the other 18 matches, Justin has played at left-back, left and right midfield and even centrally.

The boss has no choice but to rely on Ricardo Pereira, with Timothy Castagne still also sidelined due to injury. With an ACL injury, Justin will be out for a number of months and Leicester must work out how to cope without him.

In other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer waxes lyrical about Leicester’s transfer policy…