Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's mouth-watering clash between two sides who have made superb starts to the new Premier League season!

Most of the focus in the build-up to the match has been on Brendan Rodgers, who returns to Anfield for the first time since leaving Liverpool in 2015 this afternoon, but when the whistle blows we should be in for a top-class footballing tussle. It is first against third, and the front-runners to be champions hosting a team who have a better points tally at this stage of the season than they did when they memorably won the title.

Kickoff is just five minutes away, so let's waste no time with a look at the team news...

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane

SUBS: Kelleher, Keita, Gomez, Henderson, Lallana, Origi, Elliott

LEICESTER STARTING XI: Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Barnes, Tielemans, Ndidi, Praet; Maddison; Vardy

SUBS: Ward, Justin, Morgan, Gray, Albrighton, Perez, Choudhury

KICKOFF:  Liverpool get us underway at Anfield!

Some nice early football from Leicester as Maddison - back in the starting lineup after injury for this one - tries to flick a pass through for Vardy, but Van Dijk steps in.

SHOT!  Half a chance for Liverpool early on as Soyuncu tries to nick the ball in front of Salah but instead gets smartly turned by the Egyptian. He goes for goal from a tight angle, but cannot get enough power on his shot and in the end it is a simple enough save for Schmeichel.

There have been a couple of occasions in these opening minutes where the ball has been rolled back to Adrian and he has looked very relaxed about his clearance, despite Vardy bearing down on him. You do not want to give Vardy any encouragement, particularly considering Adrian has been caught out like that on a couple of occasions already this season.

Decent pressure from Liverpool as first Soyuncu is needed to clear the danger after good work from Robertson and then a cross from the opposite flank is put behind for a corner.

There has been a slight switch in the front three from the start of this match, with Salah playing through the middle, Firmino on the left and Mane out on the right. It will be interesting to see whether that remains the case throughout.

Both sides are settling into this game and just feeling each other out at the moment. Liverpool are seeing most of the ball, as you would expect, but no clear chances just yet.

CHANCE!  Speak of the devil! Liverpool do create their first chance here as Alexander-Arnold does brilliantly on the right, collecting the ball after it hit the corner flag, skipping past a defender and swinging a cross into the box. Milner meets it, but rather scuffs his volley and it bounces into the ground and up over the bar.

UPDATE: The first Premier League goal from the 3pm kickoffs has come at Carrow Road, and it is Aston Villa who have taken the lead in the battle of the newly-promoted sides. Wesley has got the goal against Norwich.

Liverpool come pouring forward with intent after getting a sniff of a counter, but the move slows down and that gives Leicester the chance to get back. Eventually a cross from Alexander-Arnold is cleared away.

Good pressure from Mane as he refuses to let Chilwell shepherd the ball out, eventually stealing it and forcing Soyuncu to come across and clear.

Barnes is perhaps fortunate to get away without a card here as he goes sliding in on Milner, getting nowhere near the ball and taking down the man. Milner, as ever, makes nothing of it, and that may have helped Barnes there.

There has not been a great deal to separate the two sides at the moment. Liverpool do seem the more likely at the moment - they are seeing more of the ball and asking most of the questions - but the final ball is just missing right now.

Neither keeper has had a save to make in this opening 25 minutes, which is not exactly what we expected from these two sides. Liverpool have had the two main sights of goal, but neither of those were exactly sitters.

Leicester pick up the second ball after their corner is cleared and Praet swings a cross into the middle, where Lovren does well to nod the ball over his own crossbar.

...and a similar situation at the other end as Alexander-Arnold latches on to Fabinho's pass a hooks a cross back into the area which Soyuncu turns over his own crossbar.

SAVE!  The referee plays a good advantage after a challenge from Ndidi, allowing Mane to advance and get a shot away from just outside the area. He should perhaps do better, but his effort lacks power and is straight at Schmeichel.

YELLOW CARD!  ...and Ndidi picks up a yellow card afterwards for a really late challenge on Milner.

UPDATE: Aston Villa are two up against Norwich, and it is a second for Wesley! The Canaries' bright start to the season appears to be fading quickly!

CHANCE!  Alexander-Arnold has been Liverpool's best player so far, and he swings another beauty of a cross into the box from deep this time. It is inch-perfect to cut out the defenders and find Firmino, but the Brazilian is stretching and just cannot steer his effort on target.

Leicester respond with a bright attack of their own, advancing down the left through Chilwell. The full-back puts a cross into the box, but it is dealt with by the Liverpool defence.

VAR CHECK! We are having a check for a potential red card against Alexander-Arnold here after he appeared to stand on the Achilles of Tielemans in the corner. It does not look intentional to me, though, and the VAR agrees - no red!

The resulting corner causes a minor scramble before Liverpool hack it clear, and Leicester then win a free kick. Chilwell swings it in to Soyuncu, who is only denied by a brilliant save from Adrian, although the offside flag is raised.

YELLOW CARD!  Fabinho goes into the book for a cynical challenge on Maddison.

GOAL!  LIVERPOOL 1-0 LEICESTER (SADIO MANE)

GOAL!  Just as Leicester were enjoying their best spell of the match, Liverpool hit them on the break with the opener!

It is a brilliant left-footed pass from Milner, who curls the ball around Evans and perfectly into the path of Mane to leave the winger through on goal. From there there is only one outcome, and sure enough he slides his finish into the bottom corner!

That, by the way, makes for a landmark day for Mane, who has just scored his 50th Premier League goal for Liverpool in his 100th appearance for the club.

CHANCE!  Chance for Mane to make it two in quick succession just before half time! Firmino cuts the ball back to the goalscorer, who can't do much more than steer it towards goal. It is too close to Schmeichel, though, and it is a fairly easy save in the end.

SHOT!  Alexander-Arnold feeds the ball into the feet of Salah, who tees up Milner. The midfielder is running on to it but slips as he hits it, sending it well over the crossbar.

There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

HALF TIME:  LIVERPOOL 1-0 LEICESTER

The first half comes to an end at Anfield and it is Liverpool who are edging it at the halfway stage.

There hasn't been a huge amount of goalmouth action nor a huge amount to separate the two sides over the opening 45 minutes, but Liverpool have been the better team and deserve their advantage.

The only goal of the game so far arrived shortly before half time through the in-form Sadio Mane, who made no mistake with his finish after being played clean through on goal.

While the Senegalese winger will correctly earn praise for what was his 50th Premier League goal for the club, plaudits must also go to Milner, who put him through with a stunning left-footed pass.

50 - Sadio Mane has scored his 50th Premier League goal for Liverpool. He's the 10th player to reach the milestone for the club in the competition, more than any other side. Nifty. pic.twitter.com/XvpojW5a9v — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 5, 2019

That goal came during Leicester's brightest spell of the half, although the Foxes have failed to really test Adrian yet, with their best chance being flagged offside anyway. Liverpool, meanwhile, have had a few sights of goal with Salah, Milner and Firmino all squandering half-chances, although Mane's opener is perhaps the only one of those they would have expected to score.

There is still plenty of work to be done for Liverpool in this second half in order to secure the win, though, particularly considering their collapse against Salzburg in midweek. Liverpool's defence has looked a lot more solid today, though, with the returning Dejan Lovren deserving particular praise.

KICKOFF:  Leicester get us back underway for the second half at Anfield, and the visitors have made a change at the break with Marc Albrighton replacing Barnes.

CHANCE!  Almost a dream start to the half for Liverpool as Alexander-Arnold - again - strides forward down the right before poking the ball in to Salah. The Egyptian steers a finish towards goal, but Schmeichel pulls off a really good reaction stop. It was a big chance, but the replays suggest it may have been ruled out for offside had it gone in.

UPDATE: It is turning into a miserable day for Norwich against Aston Villa - they now trail 3-0 at Carrow Road, with Jack Grealish joining Wesley on the scoresheet. Villa have also seen a penalty saved in that match.

Liverpool seem in control of this game right now, but they will want that second goal just to make things a bit more comfortable - particularly with Vardy lurking for Leicester.

YELLOW CARD!  Soyuncu is a lucky boy here! He again gets too tight to Salah, who spins him to advance into the box, and the Leicester defender feels as though his only options is to tug Salah back. The pull comes just outside the area and so is only a free kick, but Soyuncu picks up a deserved yellow for his troubles.

Salah goes for goal from the resulting free kick, but the wall does its job.

CLOSE!  Liverpool are starting to turn the screw here! It is brilliant play between Salah and Mane as they play a string of one-twos - Yorke and Cole-esque - to get through the Leicester defence. Salah's final ball isn't exactly how he wanted it, but Mane refuses to give up on it and the tackle from Chilwell hits it against Mane and sends the ball narrowly wide of the target.

Leicester just cannot get into their stride at the moment. They are still in it with the deficit at one, of course, but we are approaching the hour mark now and they are yet to have a single shot.

It has been better from the Foxes in the last couple of minutes, to be fair, and Maddison has just swung a beauty of a cross into the box which Alexander-Arnold does well to deal with.

UPDATE: Oh dear Norwich. It is now 4-0 to Aston Villa at Carrow Road, with Conor Hourihane getting in on the act now.

CLOSE!  Alexander-Arnold is the creator again as he fizzes the ball into the feet of Firmino in the box. The Brazilian's control is instant, and that first touch is followed by a second to tee him up and a third which fires the ball a yard or so wide of the far post.

CHANCE!  This is exactly what Liverpool would have been worried about! Albrighton whips a delicious pass forward to Vardy, who suddenly finds himself clean through on goal. His first touch, with his chest, is too heavy, though, and that allows Adrian to thwart him inside the box.

CHANCE!  Liverpool go straight up the other end and create a chance of their own with Salah eventually finding a pass through to Robertson. The overlapping full-back has nothing much on and so goes for goal himself, but fires his effort straight down the throat of Schmeichel.

This time it is Salah who finds himself clean through on goal, but the offside flag is raised. The replays show that it was very, very tight, though, and with VAR in play that flag should have stayed down!

YELLOW CARD!  Evans picks up a yellow card after wrestling with Salah - no complaints there.

SAVE!  Wijnaldum does well to turn away from Ndidi before creating space to shoot, but his strike lacks power and Schmeichel gets down to make a routine stop.

CLOSE!  It is the 73rd minute, and this is the first Leicester shot of any note I can remember. The ball drops to Praet after Fabinho had poked it half-clear from the area, and the Leicester man hammers a fizzing low strike which skims narrowly past the post. Not a bad strike at all!

LEICESTER SUB: That is Praet's final action of the match, with Ayoze Perez coming on in his place for the final 15 minutes or so.

Suddenly it is Liverpool who are struggling to make it stick up front, and the game is getting a little bit too open for their liking right now. Leicester are looking about as threatening as they have at any point in this game.

CHANCE!  Lovren puts the ball forward and Salah seemingly finds himself in on goal, but the bounce of the ball seems to deceive him and he is forced to cut back on himself. He eventually drops it back to Firmino, but his shot is sliced and blocked.

CHANCE!  Salah comes forward again here with a two-on-two scenario, but again he wastes it with an overhit pass while looking for Mane. There have been a few occasions like that here, and Salah has been at fault for most of them.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: A double change for Liverpool here as Jordan Henderson and Divock Origi replace Wijnaldum and Firmino.

GOAL!  LIVERPOOL 1-1 LEICESTER (JAMES MADDISON)

GOAL!  Oh my word, Leicester have pulled off a smash-and-grab here at Anfield! Having been on the back foot for much of the game, the Foxes have levelled things up 10 minutes from time!

Perez collects the ball nicely with his first touch immediately turning him towards goal, and he then slides a cute pass past Van Dijk for Maddison in the box. The returning midfielder drills a low shot towards goal, and Adrian cannot keep it out despite getting a hand to the ball.

I think I am right in saying that was Leicester's first shot on target - and they may even feel that they could go on to get a winner now. They have grown into this second half, with Liverpool being made to pay for not getting that second goal.

CHANCE!  Half a chance for Liverpool as Alexander-Arnold whips a superb corner into the box which Lovren attacks really well, but his header is blocked before it can trouble the keeper.

CHANCE!  And an even better chance from the second corner! This time Robertson swings it in and Van Dijk meets it, but he cannot keep his header down!

LEICESTER SUB: Late change for Leicester as Maddison departs to be replaced by Hamza Choudhury.

YELLOW CARD!  Choudhury picks up a quick yellow card for the most cynical challenge you will see all season, hacking Salah down from behind.

There will be FOUR minutes of added time at the end of this match!

LIVERPOOL SUB: Salah is still feeling that horrible Choudhury tackle and he is replaced by Adam Lallana.

PENALTY!  PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!

Albrighton brings down Mane inside the area and Liverpool have a spot kick in stoppage time! VAR is checking this, but it looks like it will stand...

GOAL!  LIVERPOOL 2-1 LEICESTER (JAMES MILNER, PENALTY)

GOAL!  Liverpool snatch the win! Milner has nerves of steel and slides his spot kick into the bottom corner, sending Schmeichel the wrong way! Klopp, the Kop and the players go wild and the winning run looks as though it will carry on!

FULL TIME:  LIVERPOOL 2-1 LEICESTER

My word, what drama! Liverpool have snatched victory at the death through a dramatic Milner penalty, although it is another three points you have to say they deserve.

Leicester seemed set for a smash-and-grab point at Anfield, which would have ended their perfect start to the season, but that late drama sees the Reds move eight points clear. It is now eight from eight this season, and 17 in a row in the Premier League.

Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon!

Thank you for joining Sports Mole for yet another dramatic game at Anfield as Liverpool leave it very late to beat Leicester and maintain their 100% start to the season. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too!

From me, though, it is goodbye for now!