Liverpool deserved nothing more than a point on New Year’s Day after a stiflingly bad performance against Leeds United.
Gone are the days of the Reds playing free-flowing attacking football at Anfield. Instead, Arne Slot and his team continue to serve up the footballing equivalent of dirty dishwater.
Thursday’s display was arguably Liverpool‘s worst of the Premier League season so far, as they failed to lay a glove on newly-promoted Leeds.
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Who was the most disappointing performer against Leeds?
Shocking display all round
Florian Wirtz during Liverpool v Leeds United - Premier League
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For the Peacocks, it was another good point against the champions and solidified the feeling that they can stave off relegation this season.
After completely clearing the circling vultures from earlier in the season, manager Daniel Farke deserves a lot of credit. He is clearly a very good manager. However, after seeing his team take a point at Anfield, the German made a comment which will leave every Liverpool fan scratching their head in bemusement.
Daniel Farke claims Liverpool were in ‘top shape’ against Leeds
No supporter watching Liverpool on New Year’s Day can have come away happy with any aspect of the performance.
Despite that, Farke told Sky Sports after the match that he believed the champions had been ‘back in their top shape’ against his team.
Arne Slot and Daniel Farke prior to Liverpool v Leeds United - Premier League
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“It was the reigning champions back in their top shape,” Farke commented, bizarrely.
Even more strangely, the 49-year-old went on to praise the Anfield atmosphere, which was one of nervousness and frustration throughout the game.
“You could feel the New Year’s Day special atmosphere in the stadium,” he said. “They were on it, and we needed to show lots of resilience, stubborn and structured.”
Tell us how you REALLY feel about Arne Slot after Liverpool’s performance against Leeds United 😵💫
Arne Slot watches on during Liverpool's Premier League match against Leeds United at Anfield.
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Farke must have been watching a different game
If Farke thinks that was Liverpool at anything like their best, then he will hopefully be in for a surprise next time he faces the Reds.
As Jamie Carragher noted on commentary, everything Liverpool did was far too slow against Leeds. They were absolutely nothing like being close to their best. If they are, they beat the Whites without any trouble at all.
As for Anfield, it was clearly nothing like the ‘special atmosphere’ Farke alludes to. Liverpool supporters were audibly angry with their team and absolutely let them know it.
There was that spine-tingling Anfield roar on occasion, but that does not constitute a good atmosphere throughout the 90 minutes.
Farke should be pleased with his point – although he should have taken all three – but we think he’ll come to a different conclusion when he watches this one back.
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