When Liverpool embarked on their record-breaking spending spree last summer, Arne Slot talked about their style needing to evolve.

The Dutch head coach felt that opponents had increasingly worked out how to nullify their strengths as they closed in on Premier League title glory last season.

The £450million investment in talent was designed to make Liverpool more dynamic, more potent and more unpredictable as an attacking force. They would have the tools required to find a way through even the most resolute of low blocks.

The reality has been very different. Wednesday’s dour stalemate with Leeds United at Anfield represented a wretched start to 2026. A smattering of boos greeted the final whistle as Slot booted a ball across the pitch in frustration.

Liverpool’s unbeaten run was extended to eight games in all competitions, but there’s nothing remotely convincing about them as they prepare for trips to Fulham and Arsenal. New year optimism was certainly in short supply inside Anfield as the mood lurched from restlessness to exasperation and then anger.

Deep into stoppage time, fans vented their spleen at the sight of Dominik Szoboszlai turning down the chance to cross into the box, instead opting to pass sideways to Ibrahima Konate. It was the first goalless draw of Slot’s reign and Liverpool’s first in 117 matches since Manchester United’s visit to Anfield in December 2023.

What a missed opportunity to strengthen their grip on a top-four spot. This wasn’t some heroic backs-to-the-wall effort from Leeds, who have avoided defeat against Liverpool home and away in the top-flight for the first time since 2000-01.

The visitors rode their luck on a couple of occasions before the break when Hugo Ekitike’s penalty appeals were waved away, and then the French striker failed to nod home Jeremie Frimpong’s shot from close range. However, in the second half, they were increasingly comfortable as the hosts looked devoid of ideas.

Liverpool had 71 per cent possession after the break but managed just one attempt on target — a long-range strike from Szoboszlai, which was parried by the under-worked Lucas Perri. Their build-up play was so slow and uninspiring.

When there’s such an alarming lack of tempo, fluency and intensity, it completely negates the Anfield factor. No wonder the atmosphere was so flat. There was nothing to set pulses racing. Boredom set in on a cold night.

Szoboszlai showing his frustration during Thursday’s game (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Liverpool got worse rather than better after Slot’s triple substitution when he turned to Cody Gakpo, Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister midway through the second half. One of the few bright sparks was provided by teenager Rio Ngumoha, whose late cameo left fans ruing that he was not introduced sooner.

“To score a goal against a team that’s defending so well in and around their box, there are a few ways to unlock it,” Slot said. “One is a set-piece, and we were close with Virgil (van Dijk, who headed wide from a corner). Another way is with something like we saw last week against Wolves, when Jeremie Frimpong had his moment of magic with a quick one-v-one.

“To create chances against a low block, you need pace and individual special moments to create an overload. You don’t see a lot of goals with 15 to 20 passes against low blocks. Another way is from a counter-attack or winning the ball back high up the pitch, but in the second half, I think 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 standing in front of you in and around their box, it’s not so easy to find players who are free close enough to the goal.”

This wasn’t a one-off. Liverpool have taken just five points out of a possible 12 at home against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds so far this season. Across those four games, they have only scored three goals and created just four big chances in total as defined by Opta — one per match despite averaging 69 per cent possession.

Slot previously said he would only start taking notice of the Premier League table at the halfway stage, and now we’re there, it doesn’t make for pretty reading. After 19 matches, Liverpool are 13 points worse off than at the same stage a year ago. They have conceded seven more this time around, but the most striking stat is that they have scored 17 fewer league goals.

No team in the top six have scored fewer than Liverpool’s total of 30 league goals, which is their lowest at this point of a campaign since 2015-16 when Brendan Rodgers’ sacking was followed by the appointment of Jurgen Klopp.

Of course, there are mitigating factors. Alexander Isak was supposed to be the main man, but the Swedish striker is recovering from surgery on a broken fibula in his left leg which is expected to keep him out until March. The £125million record signing, who only has two league goals to his name, struggled with both fitness and form before he was hurt scoring the opener in last month's win at Tottenham Hotspur.

Florian Wirtz, bought from Bayer Leverkusen to unlock defences, also endured a difficult start to life in England before finding his feet in recent weeks. He failed to shine against Leeds, but his participation in the game had been in some doubt due to a hamstring problem. Frimpong's early months at Anfield were wrecked by injury, but he's now showing his qualities.

The goals dried up for Mohamed Salah before the Africa Cup of Nations, and Cody Gakpo's form has left many supporters wishing that Luis Diaz hadn't been sold to Bayern Munich. It's January, and Ekitike, the pick of the summer signings, is the only member of the squad who has netted more than four league goals.

That's a problem for Slot. It's not the case that a glut of chances are being missed, they simply aren't getting into threatening areas often enough. It's about the patterns of play, and that's on the manager.

Switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation has made Liverpool more compact, but in having greater protection for the backline, they have lost something going forward. Ekitike was the only genuine forward or winger on the pitch against Leeds until Gakpo came on.

Recent league wins over Brighton, Tottenham and Wolves papered over the cracks in patchy performances as the champions climbed back into the top four. But against Leeds, there was no hiding place. The new-look Liverpool was supposed to be built for assignments like this.