Leeds vs Liverpool Review
Liverpool squandered a two-goal advantage to settle for a 3-3 draw against Leeds United, missing the opportunity to equal Chelsea’s points tally in fourth place. The pre-match headlines centered on Mohamed Salah being left out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive league game, but Liverpool appeared to manage well without him early on. The Reds started aggressively and nearly took the lead within the first 15 minutes when Curtis Jones struck a beautiful shot that hit the crossbar. Leeds concentrating solely on defense in the early stages, showed very little attacking threat.
Slot’s team controlled most of the first half but struggled with a familiar problem seen in many of their recent matches, they couldn’t generate scoring opportunities. Both managers had plenty to consider at halftime, especially since neither side had managed a single shot on target. Neither Farke nor Slot made any changes during the break, and Liverpool’s manager was rewarded within the first five minutes when a misplaced pass allowed Hugo Ekitike to break through and score, placing the ball in the bottom corner. The French striker quickly added a second goal just two minutes later, reacting fastest inside the box to finish off Conor Bradley’s cross, putting Liverpool firmly in control.
With 20 minutes remaining, Leeds gained a significant advantage when Ibrahima Konaté’s reckless challenge on Wilfried Gnonto inside the box was penalized after referee Anthony Taylor reviewed the pitch-side monitor. Dominic Calvert-Lewin took the penalty and scored. Surprisingly, just two minutes later, Leeds managed to equalize as Anton Stach cut in from the left and powerfully struck the ball into the near post. Most fans at Elland Road expected Leeds to build on this momentum, but they were stunned when Alexis Mac Allister cleverly feigned a move, allowing the ball to fall perfectly for Dominik Szoboszlai, who entered the box and placed the ball into the bottom corner.
Farke’s team kept pushing for another equalizer in the final moments with Ao Tanaka appearing at the far post in the 96th minute to score a late equalizer. This result leaves Slot under pressure regarding his job and moves Leeds to 16th place.
