On the primary day of 2025, the Premier League desk confirmed that Liverpool had been six factors away from Arsenal on the high. They had been halfway via a golden season. They’d already scored 45 targets. Arne Slot, their new coach, was easing the ache felt by Liverpool followers on the departure of Jurgen Klopp.
On the primary day of 2026, Liverpool laboured to a colorless and desperately uninteresting draw with Leeds United that left them 12 factors adrift of Arsenal and susceptible to being ejected from the highest 4. They aren’t nice entertainers any extra both. They’ve solely scored 30 targets this season and Mo Salah, for therefore lengthy their talisman, has fallen out of favour.
This was a match to sum up the creeping malaise that has troubled them since their title victory. Considered one of their assertion signings, Alexander Isak, is a long-term harm absentee. The opposite, Florian Wirtz, was near nameless in opposition to Leeds. He was substituted halfway via the second half.
It might even be mistaken to disregard the affect of the tragic dying of Diogo Jota earlier than the beginning of this season has had on his teammates. Jota’s absence is keenly felt and a few of Liverpool’s gamers have been open about how they’re struggling to return to phrases with it. It can not merely be discounted as an element of their lack of dominance.
Liverpool deserved some extent however they lived on their nerves somewhat within the closing phases in opposition to an enhancing Leeds facet who went unbeaten in December and drew 3-3 with Slot’s facet at Elland Street final month. This consequence was not a fluke. It was a sign of the truth that the magic has left Anfield.
Liverpool are higher than extraordinary this season however not by a lot. Because the title race begins to take form and Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis threaten to maneuver away from the sector, Liverpool are nowhere close to it. Towards Leeds, they seemed stale, predictable and drained of all their former fluidity and certainty.
Liverpool had been held to a desperately drab and uninteresting 0-0 draw by Leeds at Anfield on Thursday
It was one other irritating night time for Arne Slot’s facet however the magic seems to have left Anfield
It was Leeds, the truth is, who conjured the very best of previous few minutes. Their in-form striker, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a former son of Everton who would have liked nothing greater than to inflict defeat on Liverpool, had the ball within the internet late on but it surely was dominated out for offside.
Leeds arrived at Anfield on the again of a powerful near the 12 months which noticed them unbeaten in December, a run of 5 with out defeat which included victories over Chelsea and Crystal Palace and a 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Elland Street.
Calvert-Lewin had been an integral a part of that run, scoring seven targets in six matches, however Leeds boss Daniel Farke selected to depart him on the bench, making an attempt to guard a participant who has suffered grievously from accidents lately.
Liverpool had been lacking Mo Salah, who’s away with Egypt on the African Cup of Nations. They had been additionally lacking their set-piece coach, who left the membership instantly final week after his specific division made a slightly unsatisfactory begin to the season.
No top-flight facet has conceded extra targets from set-pieces this season than Liverpool, who had leaked 12 earlier than final night time. Equally, solely Manchester United had scored extra targets from set-pieces than Leeds, who had scored 12 this season.
The sport had begun quietly. It took quarter-hour earlier than both facet common what would possibly remotely be described as an opportunity. Ibrahima Konate floated a ball excessive of the Leeds defence to Hugo Ekitike, and Ekitike gave the impression to be held again by Jaja Bijol.
As Liverpool appealed for a penalty, Ekitike saved enjoying and laid the ball off to Wirtz 12 yards out. Wirtz tried to fit the ball into the web however was denied by a superb, saving block from James Justin. Liverpool endured with their penalty appeals however Chris Kavanagh rejected them.
The motion subsided once more. The sport was enlivened solely when Alisson appeared to resolve he needed to provide Leeds an opportunity. He performed a ball out of his space with the skin of his proper foot, as if he had been Jairzinho or Carlos Alberto but it surely went straight to Ethan Ampadu 30 yards out. Ampadu tried to go it again into the empty internet however Alisson recovered his floor within the nick of time and dived on the ball in aid.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had the ball within the internet for Leeds however the aim was dominated out for offside
The guests had been good worth for his or her level and seemed the extra threatening late on
Ampadu was most likely the very best participant on the pitch within the first hour. He was the glue that held Leeds collectively and the fulcrum of all their play however simply as that hour got here to an finish, he managed the ball together with his arm on the sting of the Leeds field and gave away a free kick and a uncommon alternative to Liverpool.
Wirtz tried to clip it over the wall however within the spirit of the drab fare on provide as much as that time, it was charged down simply and cleared. Liverpool tried to recycle the ball however couldn’t. Anfield was all shouts and murmurs of disappointment.
On condition that Leeds had been the set-piece kings, there was a sure inevitability about the truth that it needs to be Liverpool who ought to come closest to scoring from a nook. Dominik Szoboszlai drilled his kick to the center of the world the place Virgil van Dijk met it however his highly effective header bounced down and vast of Lucas Perri’s left-hand put up.
Calvert-Lewin had been on the pitch for 11 minutes when he acquired his first sniff of an opportunity and, for an occasion, it appeared he had scored. He was on a unfastened ball within the six-yard field in a flash and clipped a shot previous Alisson however the linesman raised his flag for offside and replays confirmed it was a superb determination.
The ultimate whistle introduced some aid. It was greeted with ecstatic cheers from the visiting followers and grumbles and muffled boos from the house followers. Liverpool are a staff a lot modified.
