Liverpool crowned Prem Asia Trophy champions with Leicester win

Stanley Chou/Getty Images

---

HONG KONG -- Mohamed Salah scored and Philippe Coutinho put in a man-of-the-match display to help Liverpool lift the Premier League Asia Trophy after a 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday.

Coutinho showed no signs of distraction after Liverpool rejected an approach from Barcelona earlier this week by scoring a wonderful match-winning goal, as well as claiming an assist at the Hong Kong Stadium.

In a 55-minute outing, the Brazil international played a perfectly-executed through ball for Mohamed Salah's 20th-minute equaliser after Islam Slimani's opener, before netting the winner with a trademark strike moments before half-time.

The friendly was the end of Liverpool's hectic six-day Asia tour, which has featured disrupted training sessions and plenty of commercial obligations.

This was their fourth friendly of the summer, while just Leicester's second, and Jurgen Klopp's team looked much the sharper side in the opening exchanges, with Coutinho leading the assault from a central-midfield position.

But for all that pressure, Leicester went ahead in the 11th minute when Slimani headed in at the back post from Marc Albrighton's cross.

Coutinho, however, would help draw Liverpool level nine minutes later, playing an exquisite lofted ball right into the path of Salah, who headed past Kasper Schmeichel for his second goal in preseason since joining from Roma.

Coutinho's second game-changing moment came in the 44th minute when he advanced towards the Leicester defence just outside the penalty area and then sent an effort beyond the reach of Schmeichel and into the far corner.

The 25-year-old was replaced by Ben Woodburn shortly into the second half as Klopp, once again, gave all of his outfield players a workout.

Liverpool now immediately board a plane for the 14-hour journey back to Merseyside before they head off to Germany for a training camp and three warm-up matches in a few days' time.