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2 hours ago
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Two unbeaten records continued at Anfield but only one team could take satisfaction from that. Leeds succeeded in stifling and frustrating Liverpool as the first goalless draw of Arne Slot’s reign underlined the limitations that linger behind the Premier League champions’ recent recovery.
A drab scoreless draw, the first in 84 Liverpool games under Slot, owed much to the defensive dominance of the excellent Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk but also the home side’s inability to break down a compact Leeds unit. Liverpool were reduced to hopeful half chances and there was a smattering of boos around Anfield as the final whistle sounded on a laboured performance.
Farke sprung a surprise pre-match by leaving Dominic Calvert-Lewin out of his starting lineup. The in-form forward had scored seven goals in six games but, given his injury record at Everton, the Leeds manager took no chances with a player who has become integral to this season’s ambitions.
“If I don’t use the whole group and we have a schedule like this, I would never do this,” Farke said. “For a player like Dominic I have to look after him. We all know his recent couple of years was difficult. He is in red-hot form but it’s important I look after him and sometimes the head needs to win over the heart.” A reasonable approach was undermined by the limited contribution of Calvert-Lewin’s replacement, Lukas Nmecha, for the 70 minutes he was on the pitch before the pair swapped places again.
Liverpool struggled when Farke switched to 4-3-3 at Elland Road. Containment was the priority at Anfield with a 3-5-2 formation and, a few Hugo Ekitiké scares aside, Leeds succeeded during a fairly flat first half. The visitors started brightly and tested Liverpool from a series of early corners that Slot’s side, now without a set-piece coach after the departure of Aaron Briggs, managed to clear. Thereafter, however, Liverpool dominated possession with Jeremie Frimpong prominent on the right flank. There was more zip and precision to Liverpool’s play than of late – initially – but clearcut chances were limited.
Slot’s team had three opportunities to open the scoring in the first half with Ekitiké involved in each one. After a smart exchange with Curtis Jones, the France international cut inside Gabriel Gudmundsson and forced Lucas Perri to save at his near post. The Leeds goalkeeper spilled the shot and was indebted to a timely interception from James Justin to prevent Florian Wirtz converting the loose ball from close range.
Leeds, now firmly on the back foot, were almost caught out by Ibrahima Konaté’s long ball over the top. Ekitiké sprinted clear of central defender Bijol, who responded by holding the forward as he advanced into the area. Ekitiké stayed on his feet and squared to Wirtz, who was denied by another important challenge from Justin. The lively striker’s appeals for a penalty kick were dismissed by the referee, Chris Kavanagh.
Ekitiké’s mood was not helped by failing to hit the target with his best opportunity. After Frimpong retrieved an Andy Robertson cross and pinged a return ball back into the Leeds’ six-yard box, the striker miscued a header that struck Perri while facing an open goal. Frimpong’s cross arrived at pace and Ekitiké was probably surprised that it reached him, but a player of his quality would expect to score.
Leeds’ clearest chance arrived courtesy of an Alisson mistake. The Liverpool keeper sprayed a careless clearance straight to Ethan Ampadu, an effective disruptor, who sent a first time shot back down the centre of Alisson’s goal. The Brazilian recovered in time to spare his own blushes. A consolation for Alisson, and they were thin on the ground overall, was the 100th clean sheet of his Liverpool league career. He became only the fifth goalkeeper in the club’s rich history to reach that milestone after Ray Clemence, Bruce Grobbelaar, Pepe Reina and Elisha Scott.
The contest descended into a scrappy affair, low on quality and incident. Dominik Szoboszlai, back from serving a one-match suspension against Wolves, tested Perri from distance. The keeper parried Szoboszlai’s effort and Ampadu handled while attempting to control and clear the rebound,giving Liverpool a free-kick 19 yards out. Wirtz’s lame effort, clipped straight into the Leeds’ wall, encapsulated proceedings. Ampadu was booked for the handball and will miss Sunday’s game against Manchester United through suspension.
Slot made a triple substitution in the 66th minute to inject more urgency into the Liverpool display. Moments later Virgil van Dijk almost marked the eighth anniversary of officially signing for Liverpool by heading his team in front from a Szoboszlai corner. A textbook header bounced just wide of Perri’s top corner.
Calvert-Lewin thought he had continued his scoring streak and given Leeds the lead from Gudmundsson’s cross in the 81st minute. The striker beat Van Dijk and Alisson to Sebastiaan Bornauw’s lay-off before converting from close range but was just offside when doing so. Anton Stach also threatened for the visitors late on but, after his first shot from substitute Noah Okafor’s cross was blocked, he swiped the second attempt wastefully over.
