Liverpool's impressive winning sequence in the Premier League came to a frustrating end on New Year's Day, as a defensively stubborn Leeds United held them to a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
Leeds' Defensive Masterclass Halts Reds' Momentum
The match on Thursday 01 January 2026 saw visiting manager Daniel Farke adopt a pragmatic approach, opting for a five-man defence and surprisingly leaving in-form striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin on the bench. The tactic worked perfectly, as Leeds secured their first clean sheet since August and extended their own unbeaten run to six matches.
Despite dominating possession and registering 18 shots to Leeds' four, Arne Slot's Liverpool side lacked a cutting edge. Summer signing Jeremie Frimpong, deployed in a wide right role, offered an attacking threat with his pace and direct running, but the final ball repeatedly eluded the hosts.
Calvert-Lewin's Crucial Intervention Ruled Out
The game's major talking point arrived in the final 20 minutes when substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin thought he had broken the deadlock. The former Everton striker, in the form of his life with goals in his previous six matches, found the net only to see his effort correctly disallowed for offside.
Liverpool had other chances, notably a Virgil van Dijk header from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner that bounced agonisingly wide, but they struggled to break down a supremely organised Leeds rearguard. At the other end, Leeds' only notable chance fell to Ethan Ampadu after a rare Alisson Becker error, but the Brazilian goalkeeper recovered to make the save.
Consequences for the Premier League Race
The result represents a significant missed opportunity for Liverpool. A victory would have allowed them to close the gap on third-placed Aston Villa to just four points, but the single point from the stalemate leaves their ambitions checked.
For Slot, the small consolation was a third successive game without conceding from a set-piece, but that was a minor positive on an evening where his team's attacking fluency deserted them. For Leeds and Daniel Farke, the point at Anfield is a testament to a disciplined and effective game plan executed to perfection.
