Leicester 3-1 Liverpool: Premier League - as it happened

What a win for Leicester and that drags them into 15th in the table, two points above the drop zone. Crystal Palace back into the bottom three. Liverpool meanwhile miss the chance to go into the top four, and remain fifth.

Well that draws an end to our live coverage of this Premier League clash. We're back tomorrow with the race for promotion when the top two in the Championship, Brighton and Newcastle, clash at the Amex. But until then, it's goodbye.

Full time: Leicester 3-1 Liverpool

Poetry in motion for Leicester City and Craig Shakespeare as the champion return to winning ways with their first goals and win of 2017 to climb out of the relegation zone. What difference Claudio Ranieri's sacking made will be debated long into the night, but there is no doubting the hosts' magnificence. Jamie Vardy scored twice either side of Danny Drinkwater's thunderbolt to set the platform for the win. Liverpool, 16 days removed from their last game, looked well short and though Philippe Coutinho pulled one back the result still flattered them.

Five minutes added on. Leicester look comfortable.

Can goes to ground under another heavy challenge in the box but appeals for a penalty are again waved away. Liverpool running out of time if they want to get a draw from this.

Leicester living dangerously in the closing minutes as Coutinho volleys Clyne audacious cross, with Schmeichel shoveling the ball nervously behind.

Lucas Leiva of all people almost draws Liverpool within one with a back-post header, but misses the target. The Brazilian must be the smallest player in the Liverpool team; certainly the weakest in the air but he should be doing better frankly.

Summed up the game in one tweet.

Leicester almost get a fourth which would seal the points. Mahrez speeds past Can, pulls the ball back to Drinkwater but scoops the effort over the top.

Should Liverpool have a penalty? Emre Can is knocked to the ground by a very clumsy challenge from Ndidi, who gets nowhere near the ball and merely flattens the German. Fortunate.

Jame Vardy heads his second to give Leicester breathing space.

GOAL! Leicester 3-1 Liverpool (Philippe Coutinho)

Few changes made by Liverpool and it makes a difference straight away as Coutinho breaks into the box and slides past Schmeichel. Game on?

The 65th minute is greeted with a rousing chant for former boss Claudio Ranieri. This sort of performance defined his tenure in charge of the Foxes. I wonder what he thinks of it coming just days after his dismissal.

Even when Liverpool do string a few passes together, Schmeichel has been there every step of the way and now he saves from Adam Lallana, who receives Coutinho's flick but is denied by a full length save by the Dane.

GOAL! Leicester 3-0 Liverpool (Jamie Vardy)

A really super team goal probably secures the points for the relegation strugglers. Mahrez and Fuchs combine brilliantly down the left, with the latter crossing for Vardy who rises above Matip and heads into the corner.

Okazaki flicks on to Vardy, who loops his shot onto the roof of the Liverpool net, but the flag is up.

First real chance for Sadio Mane to show his pace against the Leicester back four, but Huth gets hit foot in and the Senegal international's strike goes behind for a corner.

The moment Danny Drinkwater's drive flew into the Liverpool net.

Has to be said, whether you like it or not if Ranieri's exit is indeed the reason for this much-improved Leicester display then it was entirely justified. It could just save their season.

Back underway in the second half. No changes for either side.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher accuses Jurgen Klopp's side of having been drinking while in La Manga.

Half time: Leicester 2-0 Liverpool

The real Leicester have finally stood up. Just 45 minutes into the post-Claudio Ranieri era and the Foxes have rediscovered what defined them last season, and have dominated Liverpool. Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater, two of the stars of last season, have helped the hosts end their scoring hoodoo in 2017 while their opponents have looked hopelessly off the pace.

Schmeichel turns away Can's effort. Liverpool have had their chances, even if the have looked sluggish.

Two added minutes at the King Power. Leicester would happily play the second 45 minutes right now.

Vardy opened the scoring with a fine finish.

GOAL! Leicester 2-0 Liverpool (Danny Drinkwater)

Claudio Ranieri will be watching this thinking 'why not me?' Leicester double their lead as the a cleared cross falls to Danny Drinkwater and he arrows a strike which leaves Mignolet rooted and flies into the corner.

For those that may have missed the moment Leicester took the lead.....

Ndidi now kept out by Mignolet, who has been very busy in the first. Cracking response this from Leicester.

Leicester's fans combining paying tribute to Ranieri and getting behind their team perfectly. Liverpool have been overwhelmed by the warmth around the King Power Stadium.

Kasper Schmeichel keeps Leicester ahead, saving from Philippe Coutinho as Liverpool looked set to level.

GOAL! Leicester 1-0 Liverpool (Jamie Vardy)

A stunning start from Leicester has been underlined by them claiming the opening goal. Albrighton plays a delightful through ball which catches out Lucas and Vardy is in, and he makes no mistake burying the opportunity with aplomb. His celebration, smashing into the corner flag as of a man who had a point to prove.

Leicester have started with intensity which defined their title-winning campaign.

What a chance for Leicester to take the lead. Liverpool get themselves into a mess at the back and Vardy again miss-hits his volley, allowing Mignolet to make the save.

Best chance of the game falls to Leicester as Robert Huth rises highest from a right-wing corner but knocks his effort over the bar. Liverpool not really figured in this game.

Liverpool have their first foray into the Leicester half but it ends when a corner is headed over by Joel Matip, who fouls his opposing defender.

Mignolet needs to keep Leicester from taking the lead and this is an even better chance. Okazki flicks Vardy's miss-hot shot towards the corner, and the Belgian stick out a hand and palms it away.

Simon Mignolet called into action for the first time inside five minutes, saving from Robert Huth's flicked header from a long Fuchs throw. Exactly the start Craig Shakespeare will have demanded.

Jamie Vardy leaves one on Sadio Mane in the first minute; that tells you all you need to know about this Leicester start which has been intense and fast. Liverpool not got out of their own half.

Underway at the King Power. A great noise, not heard since the early part of last season, welcomes kick-off.

Players are out at the King Power Stadium to what must be said is a positive atmosphere. You'd never know relegation hung over this club. Big night ahead.

Of Leicester's under performing players, I don't think Riyad Mahrez has received anywhere near the kind of criticism he should have this season. He was the PFA Player of the Year, while while Vardy and Morgan have dropped off, Mahrez it meant to be in the peak years of his career, but he has gone missing completely. Can he have any joy against James Milner tonight?

"It will be cooler," responds Jurgen Klopp when asked if the La Manga training camp will show its benefit tonight. I fancy come April and may we will see the signs of the streamlined campaign the Reds have to come. No Europe or domestic cup competitions to distract them remember, so surely there is no excuses for not reaching the top four.

Craig Shakespeare overseeing the pre-match warm-up.

Liverpool have not played for 16 days, but history tells us they won't be ring rusty tonight. Under Jurgen Klopp this season, the Reds have played after breaks of seven days or more 10 times and are yet to lose. Won seven, drawn three, lost none the record says. Will their batteries be sufficiently recharged tonight, or will they lack match sharpness?

Quick update from the teams named by both sides. Ahmed Musa, one of Claudio Ranieri's summer signing, fit for tonight's game but is not even on the bench. Fancy many Leicester fans will be thrilled by that.

When did football die? When Claudio Ranieri was sacking according to Leicester fans. For me, it was many, many years ago.

Will the fans be behind Leicester come the end of the evening?

What can we expect from Leicester tonight? The players have downed tools at times this season, but can the Ranieri sacking trigger an upturn in form? The need 19 points from their last 13 games, but to attain that tally they have to show some improvement, starting tonight.

Back to last season's tactics? Surely not, after all those reports over the club's tactics.

Leicester captain Wes Morgan is fronting up before the game, speaking to Sky Sports as part of their pre-match build-up. Have to say, that looked like a very uncomfortable interview; worried about saying the wrong thing. It only adds fuel to the fire that Leicester's players led to Ranieri's exit.

Do you remember the last time these two sides met at the King Power Stadium? Jamie Vardy scored a goal-of-the-season contender as Leicester flirted with winning the title. How times have changed.

One change each for our two teams this evening. Craig Shapespeare makes one alteration to the side who lost 2-1 to Sevilla in Claudio Ranieri's final game in charge. Ahmed Musa is replaced by Shinji Okazaki. Ulloa and Slimani are on the bench.

Liverpool also make one change but it enforced with Jordan Henderson out with a foot injury, with Emre Can coming into the midfield.

Here are the teams......

Half-and-half scarves of a Ranieri mask tonight, Leicester fans? Or Liverpool fans for that matter.

For those of you wondering whether Leicester can take advantage of Liverpool being a little ring rusty tonight, having been away in Spain over the past week, I have some interesting stats to present to you that suggest they might not have it all their own way. But before then, the teams are imminent....

What sort of reception will Claudio Ranieri get tonight? His sacking has to be regarded as one of the most unpopular football decisions in recent memory, such was his charisma in guiding Leicester to the title last season. Will the Leicester fans voice their criticism to the club's board?

Liverpool have arrived at the King Power Stadium. They're not really the story tonight, are they?

Craig Shakespeare is set to confirm his first Leicester team in around half an hour, but how might they line up?

Islam Slimani and Leonardo Ulloa are nursing groin and thigh problems but could be in contention, otherwise Leicester have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Liverpool are without captain Jordan Henderson due to a knee problem, but Dejan Lovren could return. Daniel Sturridge has not training due to a virus which saw him sent home from the club's La Manga training camp.

Forgive the lack of poetic license used in this opening stanza, but am I the only one sick of the soppy-eyed approach to the sacking of Claudio Ranieri? Football has never, at least since the inception of the Premier League, been anything other than a cut-throat business which crushes failure and preys on the poor and fragile. Ranieri may have brought joy to thousands, maybe even millions but he was taking the Foxes down; whether you like it or not. Such failing mean he is not in charge for the visit of Liverpool this evening.

Leicester's plight is underlined by the fact they start tonight in the relegation zone for the first time in nearly two years. They face a Liverpool side recharged following their mid-season training camp in La Manga and who haven't played since 11 February. Jurgen Klopp's men will only make life worse for Craig Shakespeare, who takes charge of just his second game in professional football.

All the team news and build-up ahead of the 8pm kick-off on the way. Expect more Ranieri soppyness to follow.