Liverpool v Leicester: Premier League – live

5 mins: Then it looked like Curtis Jones would turn in the rebound but the ball got stuck between his legs, and Leicester survive for now.

4 mins: Chance! A crossfield pass from Trent, a fine cross from Gakpo, and Salah’s far-post volley is saved by Stolarczyk!

2 mins: Liverpool instantly take control. Eventually they lose possession and Leicester launch the ball upfield towards Patson Daka, who is beaten to it by a defender. There might be a lot of forlorn running to come for the visitors’ lone striker.

1 min: Peeeeeeep! Liverpool get the game going.

The coin is tossed, and Leicester obviously win because the players proceed to switch sides, with Liverpool thus shooting towards the Kop end in the first half.

The players are out! We are just a couple of minutes away from football o’clock.

Curiously the Guardian’s report on the match against Aldershot mentioned by Tom Gould does not at any stage mention fog or visibility issues. It does criticise “a pitch that did no service to football and … defied all attempts at elegant play”, though.

It’s still very foggy at Anfield. No suggestion the game might be in doubt, but you never know.

Meanwhile, an email! “I attended the FA Cup game against Aldershot in 1971,” writes Tom Gould. “The fog was so thick that from my position on The Kop it was impossible to see beyond the six-yard line. Inevitably the only goal of the game was scored at the Anfield Road end, it was possible to hear a roar coming through the fog but without any idea of what inspired it. The fans at the other end started singing 1-0, The Kop responded with ‘who scored’, the reply ‘John McLaughlin’ .Cue wild celebrations in The Kop. Was it a good goal? Don’t know, you’ll have to ask someone who was in the Anfield Road end.”

Hearty recommend for this here Jonathan Wilson Liverpool-focused piece, published t’other day:

Wolves have beaten 10-man Manchester United 2-0, and as a result they move up to 17th, and Leicester drop into the bottom three.

Andy Hunter listened to what Arne Slot had to say ahead of this fixture. And this is what he heard:

Arne Slot has said his experience of facing Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Netherlands, plus Liverpool’s brief drop-off against Tottenham, ensures Leicester will not be underestimated at Anfield on Boxing Day.

The Liverpool head coach was unable to beat Van Nistelrooy’s PSV when guiding Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2022-23, drawing 2-2 at home and losing 4-3 away. PSV were one of only two teams to defeat Feyenoord in a season when Slot’s side won the league by seven points from their closest challengers from Eindhoven.

Much more here:

It’s been a bit foggy on Merseyside today, but visibility is just good enough for the game to go ahead.

The same was not true when Tranmere were supposed to play Accrington Stanley a little earlier:

Do they know it’s Christmas, part II. Ruud van Nistelrooy agrees with Slot: “As a manager, you’re busy working and sometimes you forget that it’s Christmas,” he sniffs.

Meanwhile, asked about the decision to throw Jakub Stolarczyk into the team, after Danny Ward was booed by his own fans during the defeat to Wolves, he says: “It’s not ideal, but the circumstances with Wardy were intense, we all felt it, and it puts you in a position where you have to make decisions.”

Do they know it’s Christmas? Not if they’re football managers they don’t. “You don’t know it’s Christmas, as a manager,” Arne Slot says. “If you told me it was October I probably would believe you.”

Also from Slot, this word of caution: “We play really well at the moment but City, two months ago they were playing so well and look where they are now.”

The teams!

Hello world!