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Liverpool 0 – 0 Leeds – Premier League Postmortem

With Liverpool entering 2026 inside the Premier League top four, this felt like an opportunity to assert control and continue the upward momentum built over the festive period. Instead, Anfield was treated to a flat, predictable, and ultimately forgettable contest that highlighted just how fragile Liverpool’s attacking framework remains under Arne Slot.

The Starting Eleven

Liverpool XI

• GK – Alisson Becker

• RB – Conor Bradley

• CB – Ibrahima Konaté

• CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

• LB – Andy Robertson

• RW – Jeremie Frimpong

• CM – Ryan Gravenberch

• CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

• LW – Florian Wirtz

• CF – Hugo Ekitike

• CM – Curtis Jones

Substitutes

Milos Kerkez → Andy Robertson (66’)

Alexis Mac Allister → Hugo Ekitike (66’)

Cody Gakpo → Florian Wirtz (66’)

Federico Chiesa → Conor Bradley (78’)

Rio Ngumoha → Jeremie Frimpong (84’)

Goals

Nonexistent

Match Statistics

• Possession – Liverpool 69% | Leeds 31%

• XG – Liverpool 1.96 | Leeds 0.68

• Total Shots – Liverpool 19 | Leeds 4

• Fouls – Liverpool 10 | Leeds 8

• Corners – Liverpool 8 | Leeds 3

• Saves – Liverpool 2 | Leeds 4

First Half

An Anfield crowd that arrived expecting progression instead watched a familiar pattern unfold. Liverpool monopolised the ball, Leeds retreated into a compact and disciplined shape, and the game slowed almost immediately into a contest of patience versus structure.

Szoboszlai was the only player consistently attempting to inject urgency, drifting across midfield lines and demanding the ball under pressure. Frimpong provided width and pace, while Wirtz floated intelligently between lines, but service into dangerous areas was slow and predictable.

Leeds were comfortable allowing Liverpool possession in non-threatening zones, confident that crosses would be overhit and central combinations would break down under pressure. Ekitike worked hard to stretch the back line but was isolated for long spells, feeding off scraps rather than structured supply.

Despite territorial dominance, Liverpool failed to generate a moment of genuine alarm. The half drifted to a goalless close with frustration already visible in the stands.

Second Half

The restart brought urgency in movement but not in clarity. Slot’s triple substitution on 66 minutes felt more like an admission of confusion than a decisive tactical shift. Liverpool pushed higher, increased shot volume, and recycled possession relentlessly, yet Leeds remained untroubled.

Mac Allister added composure but not incision. Gakpo failed to change the dynamic from the left, and Chiesa’s late introduction offered little time to influence proceedings. Gravenberch carried the ball purposefully but too often ran into traffic, while Jones struggled to impose rhythm before being withdrawn.

As the clock ticked down, Liverpool’s play became increasingly frantic. Crosses were hopeful rather than measured, second balls were lost, and Leeds sensed they could survive. By full-time, the point felt like exactly what the visitors had arrived for.

Final Thoughts

This was another performance that underlined the ceiling of Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Heavy possession, respectable numbers, and minimal threat. Leeds defended well, but Liverpool never forced them into chaos.

Szoboszlai’s determination and versatility stood out, not because he dominated, but because he refused to hide. Others played within themselves, shackled by a system that prioritises control without offering solutions against organised opposition.

Four wins on the bounce had suggested progress. This result dragged reality back into view. Until this side finds a way to consistently break down compact teams, matches like this will continue to litter the calendar.

The frustration is no longer emotional. It is structural.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 2 – 1 Leeds

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