Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores a goal which is later ruled out due to offside whilst under pressure from Virgil van DijkGetty Images
At a glance
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
Point takes Leeds seven points clear of the drop
First goalless draw for Liverpool under Arne Slot
PLAYER RATER
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 game under the Dutchman ended without a goal.
It was a game 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 game 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.
Have your say on Liverpool's performance
What did you make of Leeds' display?
Liverpool analysis: Slot's side lack urgency
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 new 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.
Leeds analysis: Comfortable and could have snatched a winner
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 game 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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Player of the match
G. Gudmundsson
7.61
Liverpool
Leeds United
30J. Frimpong
5.24
1Alisson Becker
4.95
22H. Ekitiké
4.95
26A. Robertson
4.80
38R. Gravenberch
4.73
4V. van Dijk
4.63
12C. Bradley
4.59
8D. Szoboszlai
4.53
17C. Jones
4.48
14F. Chiesa
4.44
73R. Ngumoha
4.43
5I. Konaté
4.39
7F. Wirtz
4.25
18C. Gakpo
4.08
10A. Mac Allister
4.00
6M. Kerkez
3.84
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3G. Gudmundsson
7.61
4E. Ampadu
7.60
23S. Bornauw
7.54
24J. Justin
7.52
15J. Bijol
7.49
5P. Struijk
7.47
18A. Stach
7.26
44I. Gruev
7.17
9D. Calvert-Lewin
7.17
1Lucas Perri
7.14
11B. Aaronson
7.11
19N. Okafor
7.00
22A. Tanaka
6.94
14L. Nmecha
6.86
2J. Bogle
6.76
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After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
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