Liverpool played host to Leeds United in a Premier League fixture on Thursday evening.
Arne Slot made changes to his squad for the first game of 2026.
Andy Robertson came back into the team following a much-improved run of form from Milos Kerkez.
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Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa was dropped after a rare Premier League start against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.
Who was the most disappointing performer against Leeds?
Shocking display all round
Florian Wirtz during Liverpool v Leeds United - Premier League
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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With Mohamed Salah still away with Egypt, Slot opted to replace Chiesa in the eleven with Jeremie Frimpong.
The Dutchman is a natural right-back but was given a start ahead of Conor Bradley on January 1.
Jeremie Frimpong had Liverpool fans on their feet vs Leeds United
Frimpong spent much of his Bayer Leverkusen career as a wing-back in a back-five, so he is no stranger to getting forward.
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We saw glimpses of the Liverpool defender’s quality on the wing when he came on in the win over Tottenham Hotspur last month.
But his outing against Leeds proved Slot was more than justified to start training him to become a winger.
Dominik Szoboszlai has done a fine job acting as Salah’s replacement over the last month or so, but he is a natural midfielder with limited pace who prefers to cut inside.
Frimpong, on the other hand, is the fastest player at Liverpool and put that speed to good use on countless occasions against Daniel Farke’s men.
Every time the 25-year-old picked up the ball out wide, he looked like causing Leeds problems and earned high praise from Jamie Carragher when he was commentating live on the fixture for Sky Sports.
He said: “Jeremie Frimpong looks dangerous every time the ball goes on the outside. Frimpong always gets that half a yard, and you just don’t see that in the game.”
Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool controls the ball whilst under pressure from Gabriel Gudmundsson of Leeds United (obscured) during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Leeds United at Anfield
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Frimpong’s desire to drive at opposition defenders and create chances had a clear, audible effect on the Anfield crowd.
It was best summed up in the 32nd minute when, after setting up Hugo Ekitike, who should have done better with the cross, the ball went out for a throw-in moments later, and the home supporters inside the stadium erupted to cheer their team on.
2025/26 has been a disappointing campaign for Liverpool so far, and fans have had little to shout about. But supporters proved they are more than willing to get behind the squad when they see positive play from their team, and more specifically, from Frimpong.
Injury and fitness issues mean the right-back had notched just 204 minutes of Premier League football prior to kick-off against Leeds, but we should hopefully see a lot more encouraging, attacking play from the summer addition in the second half of the campaign.
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