Twice in its history Liverpool started at 8pm on a Boxing Day. The first time was in 2019, when Jurgen Klopp’s side easily beat Leicester en route to winning the Premier League title. The second time ended with another convincing defeat for the Foxes. This shouldn’t be the only repetition.

Arne Slot’s leaders are seven points ahead of their closest rivals for the title with a game to go thanks to a controlled comeback against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side. Leicester took a surprise early lead through Jordan Ayew and while Liverpool never reached the heights of their 2019 performance at the King Power Stadium, goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah’s 19th of the season ensured the result remained the same.

Anfield was shrouded in fog at the night’s kick-off, but it was an opportunity for Liverpool to put some light between themselves and Chelsea after a string of perfect results elsewhere on Boxing Day.

The league leaders’ prospects looked good against a Leicester team that had been soundly beaten in their last two games and had a Premier League debutant in goal. Jakub Stolarczyk replaced Danny Ward after the Wales goalkeeper was mercilessly attacked by his own fans in Leicester’s 3-0 defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

“It’s not ideal,” admitted Van Nistelrooy before kick-off. “But the circumstances with Wardy were intense, we all felt that, and it puts you in a situation where you have to make decisions.”

The Leicester coach’s decision paid off early on, as Stolarczyk and his struggling visitors tormented Liverpool until first-half stoppage time. The Polish goalkeeper made a great double save to deny Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones in Liverpool’s first significant attack. Trent Alexander-Arnold brilliantly shifted play to Gakpo on the left and his struck cross found Salah unmarked at the back post. Stolarczyk denied Liverpool’s top scorer from close range before flicking the ball away from Jones’ toes as the midfielder tried to pounce on the rebound.

A momentary disappointment gained significance two minutes later when Leicester took the lead through a well-directed counterattack. The impressive Bilal El Khannouss, a tireless and creative force, released Stephy Mavididi in space on the left. Mavididi’s low cross somehow found its way across the Liverpool penalty area to the feet of Jordan Ayew, who easily turned Andy Robertson before hitting the bottom corner of Alisson’s net.

Ayew’s shot was slightly deflected off Virgil van Dijk’s heel en route. Leicester’s sizeable and fast-paced traveling squad couldn’t have cared less.

Show Liverpool’s inevitable reaction, even if it is marred by too many bad passes, careless touches and turnovers. Mavididi could have gotten a second assist after Victor Kristiansen intercepted a loose cross-field ball from Darwin Núñez. Patson Daka sprinted into a gaping hole in the middle of Liverpool’s defense, but this time Mavididi missed his pass and Liverpool escaped.

Robertson almost gave Gakpo the lead with a superb ball across the Leicester backline, but the Netherlands international was ruled offside. Salah saw a shot from Kristiansen go just over the bar after Stolarczyk’s poor clearance gave Robertson possession. From the resulting corner, Alexander-Arnold crossed for his second attempt and the Scotland captain directed a header against the post. The ball hit the Leicester goalkeeper and rolled out.

Salah, who had fired another inviting volley over from Gakpo, also hit the woodwork when Harry Winks lost the ball deep in Liverpool’s half and the hosts countered succinctly. The Egypt international struck inside with his trusty left foot and directed the shot against the crossbar.

Frustration grew, not least when just two minutes were added to the end of the first half. It turned out to be long enough. Gakpo received a pass from Alexis Mac Allister at the corner of the penalty area, crossed James Justin and flicked an unstoppable shot into Stolarczyk’s left post. It was the striker’s tenth goal of the season and lifted the tension, if not the fog.

Liverpool were immediately in control after the restart. Núñez shot over the goal as Ryan Gravenberch pulled the ball back from the baseline. Mac Allister found himself in a similar situation to his midfield partner after a fluid one-touch move between Jones and Salah. The Argentina international shot low across the six-yard box and Jones was perfectly placed to convert. A long wait followed when VAR checked at the start of the game preparation whether there was an offside position against Salah. There was a second, lengthy stoppage of play as the VAR took ages to determine that Núñez was offside before Gakpo fired home what would have been Liverpool’s third.

Núñez could have made it 3-0 himself before Gakpo’s effort was disallowed, but Stolarczyk brilliantly parried the striker’s first shot. Daka should have at least tested Alisson when Mavididi broke the ball and delivered another pinpoint cross from the left. The Leicester striker got in front of his spotter but hit nothing.

Salah thwarted any prospect of a Leicester comeback – an admittedly slim prospect – with a brilliant, trademark finish. Gakpo’s high pass hit the striker in the right area. Only Salah saw the opportunity to clinch victory as he advanced on Kristiansen. After considering the options, he fired an excellent shot between the Leicester left-back and Jannik Vestergaard into the far bottom corner. Salah and Liverpool seem unstoppable.