Jota doubles up as Liverpool beat Foxes

Liverpool welcomed back Mohamed Salah and avenged a painful defeat to Leicester City as Diogo Jota's double clinched a 2-0 win at Anfield.

Juergen Klopp's men lost to the Foxes during a tough three-game run in the Premier League from December 19 to January 2, when Liverpool took just two points and Manchester City pulled away at the top.

This time it was the Reds who prevailed, Jota making the difference on a night when the hosts could have filled their boots.

Former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, enduring a tough campaign, was thankful for goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel keeping the visitors in the game with a string of saves.

Liverpool's newest recruit Luis Diaz made his Premier League debut and looked at home on the left of the front three, before substitute Salah, back from the Africa Cup of Nations, added pep to the hosts' attack late on.

Liverpool edged ahead in the 34th minute when a powerful Virgil van Dijk header from Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner was blocked by Schmeichel before Jota blasted in the loose ball from five yards.

Jota scooped over from close range just before the hour mark after Van Dijk won another header from a corner, with Liverpool looking to lock up the points.

Klopp sent on Salah, fresh from Egypt duty, as Roberto Firmino made way on the hour mark.

Diaz rattled a shot into the Kop after running at the Leicester defence before Salah had a strike charged down by Schmeichel. Salah then looked sure to score as he raced through, only for Schmeichel to palm away his dinked shot on goal.

Salah hit the angle of left post and crossbar with a 20-yard attempt before Diaz had a scorcher repelled by the busy Schmeichel.

Jota tied up the win in the 87th minute though, beating Schmeichel with a strike into the