Liverpool needed just one goal to walk out of King Power with three points—but they probably should’ve brought a hatful. A 3.89 xG total and 24 shots to Leicester’s five told the story of dominance… and frustration. In the end, it took a 75th-minute finish from Trent Alexander-Arnold to settle things, but the Reds will know it could’ve been a lot more comfortable.

Stat Breakdown: One-Sided but Wasteful

Shots: Liverpool 24, Leicester 5

xG: Liverpool 3.89, Leicester 0.26

Shots on Target: Liverpool 9, Leicester 0

Touches in Box: Liverpool 39, Leicester 12

Possession: Liverpool 59%, Leicester 41%

Liverpool peppered the Leicester box all evening. Nine shots on target, three off the woodwork, and yet just one goal. Leicester, meanwhile, registered just five efforts—none on target—with only 12 touches inside the opponent’s box.

Match Momentum: All Red, All Game

The xG timeline paints it in bold red: Liverpool were on the front foot from the opening whistle. A steady climb in xG started as early as the 5th minute and barely dipped, with the biggest jumps in the second half as the Foxes sat deeper. The goal, when it finally came, was almost anticlimactic considering what had come before.

Shot Maps: The Eye-Test of Domination

Liverpool’s shot map looked like a target practice session—dense clusters around the penalty spot and central areas. Despite generating 3.89 xG, they only found the net once.

Leicester’s shot map? Sparse. Five red dots, all outside the box, and none worrying Alisson’s gloves.

In Possession: Build-Up Masterclass vs Static Shapes

Liverpool’s pass map showed total control. Van Dijk was the metronome, with Mac Allister and Gravenberch moving the ball into the final third. Salah, Bradley, and Szoboszlai connected sharply on the right, creating a web of short passes and penetrative runs.

Leicester’s map was mostly horizontal and in their own half—plenty of touches, little threat.

Final Thoughts

Liverpool won—but they’ll feel like they should have flexed their goal difference muscles here. Leicester never looked like scoring, and their 0.26 xG was kind to them. For Liverpool, three points is all that matters, but with margins tight in the table, this could’ve been a statement win. Instead, it was a sigh of relief.