Arne Slot’s Liverpool kicked off 2026 with a disappointing goalless draw against a resilient Leeds United side on January 1 at Anfield, ending their four-match winning run across all competitions. The result marked the Reds’ first 0-0 Premier League draw in 117 games, dating back to December 2023 against Manchester United.

First Half Highlights:

• Liverpool dominated possession early but struggled to break down Daniel Farke’s compact 3-5-2 setup.
• Hugo Ekitike spurned the game’s best chance around the 30-minute mark, heading wide from close range after a pinpoint cross from Jeremie Frimpong – a glaring miss that proved costly.
• Leeds threatened on the counter, with Ethan Ampadu nearly capitalizing on a poor pass from Alisson, but the chance fizzled out.
• Virgil van Dijk headed narrowly wide from a set-piece, while Florian Wirtz’s influence was limited.

Second Half Highlights:

• Slot introduced substitutes Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Milos Kerkez to inject energy, but Leeds’ defense – led by standout performers Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk, and James Justin (named Player of the Match) – held firm.
• Leeds came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 81st minute when substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin lobbed Alisson beautifully, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out for offside.
• Late pressure from Liverpool included a Van Dijk header drifting wide and a blocked effort from Gakpo, but goalkeeper Lucas Perri was rarely tested seriously.
• Frimpong remained Liverpool’s brightest spark on the right flank, constantly probing but without the final breakthrough.

The draw leaves Liverpool in fourth place, missing the opportunity to pull further clear of fifth-placed Chelsea. For promoted Leeds, the point extends their unbeaten run to six matches, moving them seven points clear of the relegation zone – a massive boost ahead of their rivalry clash with Manchester United.

A classic case of one team parking the bus effectively and the other lacking cutting edge on a drab afternoon at Anfield. Liverpool travel to Fulham next, while Leeds host their bitter rivals on January 4.