Anfield Frustration as Leeds Shut Down Liverpool

Leeds dig in and end Liverpool’s winning run

Liverpool’s winning streak came to a sudden stop at Anfield as Leeds United earned a hard-fought 0–0 draw, claiming their first clean sheet since August and extending their unbeaten run to six matches. For Arne Slot’s side, it was a night of control without cutting edge, leaving the home crowd frustrated as another chance to close the gap in the title race slipped away.

Leeds arrived with a clear plan. Daniel Farke set his team up with a compact five-man defence, prioritising shape and discipline over risk. That decision paid off, as Liverpool dominated possession and shots but rarely looked like finding a breakthrough.

Liverpool control the ball but lack the killer touch

Liverpool finished the match with 18 attempts on goal compared to Leeds’ four, yet the scoreboard never changed. Jeremie Frimpong, deployed wide on the right in Mohamed Salah’s role, was one of the few bright sparks. He stretched the pitch, attacked the byline and delivered several dangerous balls into the box.

Florian Wirtz showed flashes of quality between the lines, while Hugo Ekitike worked hard to occupy Leeds’ centre-backs, but clear chances were limited. Too often, crosses flashed across the six-yard box with no red shirt arriving in time.

One early opening saw Wirtz have a shot blocked after good work from Ekitike, while Virgil van Dijk later went close with a header from a corner that bounced wide. Despite sustained pressure, Leeds’ defensive line held firm.

Leeds stay organised and nearly steal it late on

Leeds’ main threat came from Liverpool errors rather than sustained attacks. A misplaced clearance from Alisson Becker briefly handed Ethan Ampadu a sight of goal, though the Liverpool keeper recovered quickly to make the save.

The biggest moment arrived late on when Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced from the bench. The striker thought he had scored a dramatic winner with his first goal at Anfield, only for the offside flag to deny him.

For Leeds, the draw felt like a victory. For Liverpool, it felt like two points dropped.

Slot left searching for solutions

Arne Slot will take some comfort from another solid defensive display and a third straight game without conceding from a set piece. However, the lack of sharpness in attack was impossible to ignore.

As the new year begins, Liverpool remain in the race, but nights like this underline the fine margins at the top of the Premier League.