Liverpool 0-0 Leeds United: Hugo Ekitike misses sitter in goalless draw at Anfield
Dominic Calvert-Lewin finished past Alisson but had his goal ruled out for offside
Hugo Ekitike misses sitter for Liverpool, Leeds' Dominic Calvert-Lewin has goal ruled out late on
Liverpool move three points ahead of Chelsea, who are fifth
Hugo Ekitike missed an open goal as Liverpool and Leeds started 2026 with the first goalless draw of Arne Slot's tenure at Anfeld.
Jeremie Frimpong's left-footed strike in the first half was met by Ekitike, who bizarrely ended up heading the ball in the opposite direction when all he had to do was guide it into an open goal.
Frimpong had put plenty of power on his shot but, from a yard out, it was harder to miss than score.
The point extended Liverpool's unbeaten run to eight games and moved them three points clear of Chelsea, who are fifth, but this was another largely uninspiring display from Slot's side.
Liverpool dominated possession but hardly tested Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal and, at the 84th time of asking since Slot took over in the summer of 2024, a Liverpool competition under the Dutchman ended without a goal.
It was a contest of few chances, with Ekitike denied a penalty in the first half when it looked like Jaka Bijol was holding him back while Virgil van Dijk came close when he headed wide from a corner in the second half.
Daniel Farke opted to rest Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who had scored seven goals in his past six games, before their match against Manchester United at Elland Road on Sunday.
And it was Calvert-Lewin who nearly got the winner after coming on in the second half, when he turned neatly and finished past Alisson in the 81st minute.
However, the former Everton striker was marginally offside.
Leeds extended their own unbeaten run to six games and have not lost a event since November. Farke's side are seven points clear of the relegation zone.
After drawing 3-3 against Liverpool at Elland Road in December, they are unbeaten against the Premier League champions this season.
At the halfway point of the season, Liverpool have 33 points from 19 games and sit in fourth.
Gven the dismal run they went on earlier this season, that suggests things are heading in the right direction but this was another uninspiring performance in large parts. Liverpool desperately lack urgency.
Slot's side kept the ball well but struggled to break through a Leeds side who set up well defensively. At times, it felt like Liverpool were waiting for something to happen rather than trying to make things happen.
Bar the Ekitike chance, they hardly created anything of note and it was a tepid start to the latest year for those at Anfield.
This is a crowd that has got so used to seeing entertaining football over the past decade but the fact there were some boos at full-time summed it up.
In recent weeks, Liverpool have found a way to get results despite average performances but here it was Leeds who very nearly got the winner when Calvert-Lewin's goal was ruled out for offside.
At the very least, Slot can take positives from the fact his side kept a clean sheet.
It was their first 0-0 draw in 117 matches in all competitions, since December 2023 against Manchester United.
This was yet another assured display from Leeds, who across the past month have started to look like a solid Premier League outfit.
Even though Liverpool dominated possession with 68 per cent of the ball, Farke's side looked comfortable for large parts of the evening.
Whenever they got possession, they played with confidence and threatened to snatch a winner in the latter stages.
With hindsight, Farke may regret his decision to leave Calvert-Lewin out of the starting 11 because he offered an outlet and a threat that Lukas Nmecha did not.
And Ethan Ampadu, who will miss Sunday's contest against Manchester United after picking up his fifth booking of the season, will know he should have done better with his first-time effort when Alisson passed the ball straight to him in the first half.
Nevertheless, as the Leeds players stood in unison with their travelling support after the final whistle, you got the sense that this is a side that now firmly believes it belongs in the top flight.
This was another massive result, against a Liverpool side that had won their past four. The visit of Manchester United to Elland Road on Sunday promises to be quite the spectacle.
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Liverpool have scored 19 goals in their last five Premier League matches against Leeds (W3 D1 L1), although they let a 2-0 lead slip to draw 3-3 at Elland Road in December, their highest scoring draw ever with the Whites.
Leeds won 2-1 in their last away league match against Liverpool in October 2022. They’ve never won consecutive visits to the Reds in their league history.
Liverpool have won five of their last six Premier League games on New Year’s Day (D1), with their last defeat coming at home to Chelsea back in 2005.
Leeds have won just one of their last six league games on New Year’s Day (D3 L2), beating Birmingham 3-0 in 2024. This is their first New Year’s Day game in the Premier League since 2003, a 2-0 home success against Birmingham.
Leeds have won one of their last 16 away top-flight matches against the reigning champions (D5 L10), beating Arsenal 3-2 at Highbury back in May 2003 thanks to a late Mark Viduka winner.
Liverpool have started the year with a league success in just three of the last 11 years (D4 L4), although they haven’t lost their first match of the year when it’s been at Anfield on any of the last nine occasions (W6 D3).
Leeds United haven’t lost any of their last 10 league games played in January (W6 D4) since a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in 2023 under Jesse Marsch. The only side in the top four tiers on a longer current unbeaten run in January is Arsenal (11 games).
Liverpool have won their last three Premier League games, having won just two of their previous 10 beforehand (D2 L6).
Having failed to score or assist a goal in any of his first 15 Premier League appearances, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz has now scored (1) or assisted (1) in his last two. He last registered a goal involvement in more consecutive league games in November/December last year (a run of six with Bayer Leverkusen).
Cody Gakpo has scored in Liverpool’s first Premier League match of each of the last two calendar years, netting against Newcastle and Man Utd. The last Reds player to score in their first league match three years in a row was Ian Rush in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rio Ngumoha.
Attempt blocked. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rio Ngumoha.
Substitution, Leeds United. Ao Tanaka replaces Ilia Gruev.
Attempt missed. Anton Stach (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.
Attempt blocked. Anton Stach (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Jayden Bogle (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
James Justin (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Liverpool. Rio Ngumoha replaces Jeremie Frimpong.
Substitution, Leeds United. Jayden Bogle replaces Sebastiaan Bornauw because of an injury.
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