🔗 Share this article

A pair of unbeaten runs continued intact at Anfield, but only one side could derive genuine satisfaction from the result. Leeds United carried out a perfect game plan of frustrating and restricting the hosts, with the first scoreless draw of Arne Slot's tenure underscoring the lingering limitations within the reigning champions' latest upturn.

Defensive Display Secures Crucial Result

A drab scoreless draw, the initial in 84 matches for Slot's team, was largely due to the immense solidity of the excellent centre-back pairing Struijk and Bijol, combined with the Anfield side's failure to unlock a compact visitors' defence. Liverpool were reduced to hopeful opportunities, and a sprinkling of boos could be heard around the stadium at the final whistle on a sluggish display.

"Should I do not use the entire squad and we have a fixture list like this, I would not make changes," Daniel Farke explained. "For a player like Dominic I have to protect him. We all are aware his recent history was difficult. He is in red-hot form but it's vital I manage him and sometimes the mind needs to win over the emotion."

The Hosts' Frustration in Front of Goal

Liverpool at first displayed more zip and sharpness than in recent outings, with Jeremie Frimpong prominent on the flank. However, golden opportunities were scarce. The home side's best moments in the first half involved striker Hugo Ekitiké.

• Following a neat one-two with Curtis Jones, the French international drifted infield and drew a save from keeper Lucas Perri at his near post.
• The visitors' goalkeeper spilled the effort, needing a timely block from James Justin to prevent Florian Wirtz converting the loose ball.
• Ekitiké later sprinted through onto a long ball but was impeded by Jaka Bijol; although not going down, his appeals for a penalty were waved away.

Spurned Opportunities Are Costly

Ekitiké's afternoon was compounded when he failed to find the target with his best opening. Meeting a pacy Frimpong cross in the six-yard box, the attacker misdirected a header that hit the goalkeeper while facing an unguarded net.

At the other end, their clearest sight of goal arrived from an Alisson error. The Brazilian keeper sent a careless clearance straight to midfielder Ethan Ampadu, whose first-time shot returned down the centre was saved by the recovering goalkeeper.

Scrappy Final Stages

The match deteriorated into a bitty affair, devoid on incident. The midfielder, returning from suspension, tested Perri from range. The subsequent scramble led to Ampadu handling the ball, giving the hosts a free-kick in a promising position, which Wirtz sent into the wall.

The Liverpool manager made a three substitution to bring impetus, and moments later Virgil van Dijk came close to nodding his team in front from a corner, his effort bouncing just past the post.

Substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin thought he had extended his scoring run for Leeds in the closing stages, but his finish was ruled out for a tight offside call. Ultimately, the two teams had to settle for a single of the points.