AFTER everything Leicester have achieved this season, the heights to which they have soared and the odds they have defied along the way, it almost seems unfair that the real challenge is still to come.
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| Leicester winger Marc Albrighton has warned their rivals that the Foxes will not ease up |
Claudio Ranieri's side dragged themselves away from Anfield having experienced defeat for the first time since late September and left only with an acceptance that it is the visit of Manchester City on Tuesday which will define them.
"We see this as a test," said winger Marc Albrighton ahead of a clash which still pits first with third. "There will probably be a lot of pundits and media that might think now we are going to lie down and relax with our 30-something points. We're not a side to do that.
"We've got Manchester City on Tuesday and we look forward to bouncing back against them."
It will be an examination that is both mental and physical. Leicester need to suppress any nagging doubts Liverpool's victory courtesy of Christian Benteke's smart second-half finish was somehow the natural order realigning itself, while at the same time hoping Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez can rouse themselves again.
Vardy played with a fever before being substituted and a weary-looking Mahrez dazzled only fleetingly before he followed him to the sidelines.
Ranieri has railed against the insinuation his is a two-man team, but the sight of the visitors running aground creativity as their lucky charms toiled did little to knock the theory. They are allowed to have an afternoon off, of course. But when they do, others cannot, and therein lies the key.
"When you're top people want to knock you down and that is always going to be the case," reasoned Albrighton. "We have got ourselves there and we need to find ways of dealing with that.
"Although teams have been trying to stop us, we've dealt with it well. Today was an off day for us but like I say we will bounce back."
Liverpool are not that much different themselves - nor the rest of the Premier League - their fortunes intrinsically linked to the fitness of their best players.
The dead-eyed finishing of Daniel Sturridge would have made a huge difference to their season. It still can, which is why Jurgen Klopp poured cold water on the striker's latest plans to return from injury fearing he is pushing himself too soon.
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| Christian Benteke scored the winner as Liverpool beat Leicester 1-0 at Anfield |
So while Sturridge continues to train, it seems likely that Benteke will take the strain; his chance at the weekend coming only after Divock Origi suffered a hamstring strain and became the 22nd injury setback Klopp has endured since the start of October.
"It is not the training, because we are not training often enough!" said Klopp. "It is the intensity [of the English league]."
There has been a bit too much focus on what Benteke does not do as opposed to what he has done thus far in his Liverpool career. Klopp's willingness to volunteer he had a heart-to-heart with the Belgium forward last week, before refusing to divulge the details, suggested a problem.
But it would be a surprise if he has not spoken to Roberto Firmino and Simon Mignolet as well, for example, or all of his squad for that matter. No Liverpool player is above a pep-talk.
It was left to Benteke to fill in the gaps as he admitted: "I have to run more and I have to be there for my team-mates." That much is true, and it does not reflect well that it had to be pointed out.
Origi's willingness to stretch teams made him the best player on the pitch before injury struck, but then he would not necessarily have scored the goal Benteke dispatched after 63 minutes to point the way forward.
Only Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard have scored more league goals in 2015 for Liverpool than Benteke and he has not yet made more than two consecutive starts under Klopp.
Like every striker he needs to find a rhythm. Vardy and Mahrez are testament to that.
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Mignolet 7; Clyne 6, Lovren 8, Sakho 7, Moreno 6; Lallana 7 (Allen 90), Henderson 8, Can 6, Coutinho 6 (Lucas 90); Firmino 6, Origi 7 (Benteke 38, 7). Booked: Lallana Goal: Benteke 63. NEXT UP: Sunderland (a) PL, Wed.
LEICESTER (4-4-2): Schmeichel 6; Simpson 6, Huth 6, Morgan 6, Fuchs 6; Mahrez 6 (Kramaric 80), Kante 8, King 6, Albrighton 6; Okazaki 6 (Dyer 69, 6), Vardy 6 (Ulloa 69, 6). Booked: Huth. NEXT UP: Man City (h) PL, tomorrow.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire).
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