Liverpool 0-0 Leeds: Arne Slott’s side continued their patchy Premier League form as they were held apart by the Yorkshire club at Anfield, but it was a game that will not live long in the memory.
Liverpool were drawn away by Leeds United on Thursday night as their inconsistent run of form continues.
The Reds, who were plagued by numerous injury problems, struggled to progress as chances were at a premium. Leeds thought they had secured a memorable win when Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired home, but it was denied by an offside flag.
The draw leaves Liverpool in fourth place, six points behind Aston Villa, while Leeds remain in 16th place.
Here are the key talking points at Anfield:
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Exactly too honest
There is almost an unspoken rule in the Premier League that no penalty will be given if a player does not go down in the box. And that was certainly evidenced by Hugo Ekitike against Leeds.
After a quick move, the Frenchman found himself in space behind Leeds’ last line and evaded a challenge from Xhaka Bihor before pulling the ball back to Florian Wirths. But it was a bit of an awkward challenge, one that could have resulted in a penalty if it had gone to the ground.
Ekitike stood firm and stopped moving before appealing. Of course, you don’t want to see a player trying to win a penalty for a slight contact, but Ekitike certainly had a case.
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Alisson almost cost Liverpool
There certainly wasn’t much movement in the goalmouth in the first half at Anfield. Leeds arguably had the best chance between the two teams, and it was the Liverpool player who created it.
Alisson’s lazy kick was collected by Ampadu 35 yards from goal and the Welshman aimed it into an unguarded net. It didn’t have enough power or direction to beat the Brazilian goalkeeper, who scrambled back to thwart Ampadu’s low shot.
Calvert-Lewin denied
Given his recent form, it was somewhat of a surprise that Daniel Farke chose to omit Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Anfield. The former Everton player had scored in each of his last six Premier League appearances.
However, it seems that there was a thought behind that decision. Calvert-Lewin hasn’t been very lucky with injuries in recent seasons, but with a game against Manchester United coming up, this game seemed like a good one to give the forward some rest.
However, his absence did not go unnoticed, with Leeds at times struggling to create chances on the pitch. They have certainly improved since he was introduced.
He thought he had scored a goal to give Leeds a valuable victory and extend his scoring streak to seven games, but it was clearly offside.
Liverpool’s instability continues
Despite the firepower at their disposal, Liverpool’s attacking play against Leeds was their undoing. Throughout the entire 90 minutes, they had only three shots on target.
This is simply not enough for a team aiming to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season. Mo Salah’s future at Anfield remains in doubt, while Alexander Isak looks set to be sidelined for some time due to injury.
If that happens, Arne Slott may enter the transfer market in search of a more attacking player.
Good points for Leeds
Of course Leeds would have liked to have won at Anfield. But it’s hard to suggest that the points aren’t a positive result. Daniel Farke’s side are seven points clear of the drop zone.
There is still work to do for the Yorkshire club to establish themselves in the league ahead of next season, but they are in an excellent position to achieve it.
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