Liverpool 0 Leeds United 0: Familiar issues for Arne Slot's side? More signs of progress for Leeds?
SOURCE:The Athletic|BY:Gregg Evans and Beren Cross
The Athletic's writers analyse the New Year's Day action from Anfield
Leeds United have ended Liverpool’s run of three successive Premier League wins with a goalless draw at Anfield that was as frustrating for the home side as it was satisfying for the visitors.
Daniel Farke’s team, unbeaten in the league since November, controlled and frustrated Liverpool for much of the game — and went in 0-0 at half-time thanks to some diligent defending.
The second half followed the same pattern with Liverpool struggling to carve out clear-cut chances. Leeds momentarily thought they had taken the lead in the last 10 minutes, only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin — who had come on as a substitute — to see his neatly-taken goal disallowed for a narrow offside.
Gregg Evans and Beren Cross break down the key talking points from the game.
A frustrating evening for Liverpool
This was surely a result that put an end to any slim chance Liverpool had of squeezing back into the title race.
It was a stretch for the defending champions anyway after the horrific run in the autumn where they lost nine games in 12 outings across all competitions, but after a recent mini-revival, there was still hope, even if it most likely required a faultless finish.
What more dropped points at Anfield really mean, though, is that Liverpool missed out on the opportunity to close the gap on Aston Villa in third, following their recent defeat to Arsenal. That gap is now six points.
While the 0-0 draw did have one benefit — it extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions — it didn’t do much for their league position, or to convince those in the stands that they’ve truly turned the corner.
(Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
To draw two league games against a side just promoted to the Premier League — it was 3-3 at Elland Road last month — is hardly the form of title contenders.
Liverpool’s main focus now is to remain in the top five positions and secure a place in the Champions League again next season. They look well-equipped to do that, even if this result feels like a major disappointment.
Gregg Evans
Leeds’ rejuvenation continues
This remarkable Leeds United run goes on. That is now six matches unbeaten for Daniel Farke’s side, who move back out to seven points from the drop and have ended the first half of the season with 21 points.
There was some trepidation pre-match with the four changes Farke made, three of which were prompted by load management over this intense schedule, but the unit continued to look as effective as it had since half-time at Manchester City in late November.
James Justin and Sebastiaan Bornauw, the two new faces in defence, each made significant contributions in keeping this Anfield clean sheet. While in attack, Lukas Nmecha took another big step forward in his recovery from injury and Brenden Aaronson kept up his recent run of improved displays.
(Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)
The unbeaten run has been stellar, but if there is one match the Leeds faithful could pick to win all season, it would be Sunday’s at Elland Road, where their most-loathed rivals, Manchester United, will travel for a first meeting in 2025-26. Confidence could scarcely be higher as Leeds return home.
Beren Cross
Frimpong impresses on new-look right flank
When Jeremie Frimpong became Liverpool’s first summer signing, it was made clear that this particular period would be the most important part of his season. With Mohamed Salah away at AFCON, Liverpool wanted a creative attacking alternative and identified the versatile Frimpong as the ideal fit.
Yet only in recent weeks has he begun to put a stuttering start behind him after missing a large chunk of the season through injury.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Now back fully fit, the right-sided utility man is giving the team a new dynamic with his blistering pace and creativity.
He used his recent spell on the sidelines to manage his body more effectively and worked on adding muscle mass and increasing speed, and in his three games back in the team, that has been clear. He looks stronger, quicker and a real threat. Finally, Liverpool’s right side now looks capable of performing to a high level in the absence of Salah.
Frimpong linked up well with the impressive Conor Bradley and chipped in with several important defensive contributions, too.
It was his attacking play that made a real difference, though, as he was brave but didn’t overplay, and almost set up Hugo Ekitike for a goal in the first half that the Frenchman somehow headed behind him when he should have scored.
Gregg Evans
In praise of Leeds’ defensive organisation
This was always going to be a different test to the one Liverpool posed at Elland Road less than four weeks ago. At Anfield and in far better form, Liverpool were always likely to make the ball stick in the final third, while Leeds would not have the ferocity of Elland Road to make this another chaotic affair.
The four changes were also unlikely to make things easier for the team. However, Farke stuck with a back five, bringing in Justin and Bornauw as new faces, and it remained rock solid.
(Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
The hosts had their moments, as you would expect, but United largely weathered the storm and their organisation held out. Justin made two crucial blocks to deny Florian Wirtz in the first half, while Bornauw filled the Joe Rodon void effectively, also putting a big tackle in on Ekitike in the second half.
Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev and Anton Stach were brilliant protectors in front of that back line too, hounding Liverpool raiders, sniffing the ball out and turning it over. This proved to be another encouraging chapter in the new Leeds story we have seen since the start of December.
Beren Cross
An underwhelming display from Wirtz?
Wirtz struggled to make an impact for Liverpool and was substituted after 66 minutes.
The German failed to kick on after his opening goal for the club last week and departed with the lowest pass completion (79.6 per cent) of any Liverpool outfield player.
Wirtz pushed and probed but couldn’t create anything meaningful to make a difference, and although he had plenty of opportunities with 63 touches of the ball, he came up against a stern Leeds back line that refused to be beaten.
The 22-year-old will not be judged on this game in isolation, but these tight, tense evenings were supposed to be the days when Wirtz, the second-most expensive player in Liverpool’s history, stepped up to make a difference.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
It wasn’t just his goals and assists that appealed to Liverpool when he was signed, either. It was the way that he used to drag his former team, Bayer Leverkusen, out of trouble and produce game-changing moments of magic.
After taking 23 games to record a goal, the hope was that he would take that confidence into the New Year — but again, this was a day where supporters were left wanting much more.
Gregg Evans
What was Bijol booked for?
There was one of the more unusual yellow cards of Jaka Bijol’s — or anyone’s — career in Thursday’s second half. Chris Kavanagh had awarded Liverpool a free kick on the edge of the United area and marked out the line for the away wall.
Bijol was not satisfied with the referee’s measurements and stepped out to measure it himself, from wall to ball. Kavanagh clearly did not like being doubted and promptly cautioned the Slovenian.
Beren Cross
What did Slot say?
The Liverpool head coach was asked what his side had been missing. “A goal, that is the most simple answer. To score a goal against a team that is defending so well in and around the box, there are a few ways to unlock it. For some teams that’s a set piece and we were close with Virgil.
“Another way is something we saw against Wolves when Jeremie Frimpong had his moment of magic one v one and he had a few of those moments today as well.
I said to them at half time that we can bring more bodies into their box than we did in the first half when we crossed it.
“We are the team that has the most ball possession in this league but it doesn’t mean a lot if you cannot create enough chances. To create chances against a low block you need pace, individual special moments to create an overload.
“Another way of unlocking is from a counter attack or winning it back high up the pitch but in the second half their goalkeeper kicked almost every ball long. Everyone, including me, wants us to go forward as fast as possible but when there are 11 players in front of you it is so easy to find players who are free close to the goal.”
Slot was also asked about incident in the first half when Hugo Ekitike appealed for a penalty, and whether he thought Liverpool should have been awarded one. “No because he stayed on his feet. If Hugo had fallen down it would probably have been a penalty but I can understand why he didn’t go down. This season so many times when we were fouled in the box we did not get a penalty.
“This season we have conceded a few penalties when there was very little contact. Soft penalties. We had one at Brentford away when Cody Gakpo was fouled and the referee said ‘play on’. So maybe because of that our players try to stay on their feet and then it is hard for the VAR to interfere.”
What did Farke say?
The Leeds manager was delighted with the discipline his side showed at Anfield. “It was always clear we, as a newly promoted side, would need a special performance today to travel away with points, especially as we played here on New Year’s Day. Anfield on New Year’s Day is always a special atmosphere.
“Then to play against a reigning champion, who was back to their best in the last weeks, and then to travel without several key players and to show such a performance, such a resilience and well organised structure against the ball, really good defending.
“It was always clear there would be many periods during the game where we had to suffer and have to defend really, really well. Liverpool would have more possession, but we didn’t allow them clear cut chances.
“We allowed them possession in areas where they couldn’t hurt us that much. We had also our periods in the game, especially in the beginning.
“After five minutes, (we had) already three corners. Normally, you don’t get three corners in 90 minutes here.
“We needed a really balanced performance today and to return back with a point, with a hard-fought, well deserved clean sheet, it is not just good for the table, but also good for the mood in the dressing room, good for the confidence.
“There were also many fringe players today involved, so it’s good for the spirit within the group.”
What next for Liverpool?
Sunday, January 4: Fulham (away), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
What next for Leeds?
Sunday, January 4: Manchester United (home), Premier League, 12.30pm UK, 7.30am ET
