The Liverpool draw vs Leeds United at Anfield on Thursday, January 1, in a Premier League match pegged them further back in the Premier League title race. The English champions now have 33 points in 19 matches and are in the fourth position in the league table. The match ended goalless.
The Reds are thus 12 points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal, which is a very big difference with half the season being over. The inability to score a goal was a thing that stuck out like a sore thumb in Liverpool draw with Leeds United.
In this article, we will talk about three issues which were apparent in the Liverpool draw with Leeds United.
#1. Liverpool Are Now More Dependent on Crosses Played From the Flanks
The Reds showed a dependence on crosses played out from the flanks in the match against Leeds. Andy Robertson started as the left-back and Jeremie Frimpong as the right-winger in Mohamed Salah’s absence. One of Frimpong’s crosses should have resulted in a Liverpool goal had Hugo Ekitike not misdirected his header.
Robertson also made some quality deliveries into the box from the left. However, with Salah missing as an inverted winger, Liverpool were mostly dependent on those deliveries from the flanks and lacked box penetration through the channels. That was not a bad strategy, but made them sort of predictable in their attacks. However, having said that, one must also add that Frimpong has started to make the sort of impact that was expected from him at the start of the season with his pace and crossing abilities.
#2. Liverpool Showed an Apparent Inability To Play Out From the Back
Whenever the opposition pressed high, the Liverpool full-backs and wingers were forced to fall back. It meant that they were dependent on their defensive midfielders and centre-backs mostly to clear the ball out of their own half after winning it back.
However, with Alexis Mac Allister starting on the bench, Liverpool lacked a midfielder who had the ability to pass it forward with aplomb from deep areas. Ryan Gravenberch tried his best to spread the ball out from his won half, as did Virgil van Dijk, but they often lacked the passing range to play it out to the advancing full-backs.
As the Reds depended on their wide men to launch their attacks, the inability to spread the ball out fast was a thing that affected their attacks. Hence, they were often slowed in transition.
#3. Too Many Permutations Were a Drawback in Liverpool Draw With Leeds United
Arne Slot made four changes in their line-up in the second half, which meant that a number of players had to change their playing positions. Dominik Szoboszlai started the match in the midfield and ended it as the right-back.
Cody Gakpo was introduced in Florian Wirtz’s position on the left flank, but had to move to a central position as the No.10 when Rio Ngumoha came in as the left-winger.
Federico Chiesa replaced Frimpong on the right flank and Mac Allister replaced Curtis Jones in the midfield. Milos Kerkez replaced Robertson and there were hardly any crosses played from the left flank from the former.
With such change of personnel, Liverpool found it a bit difficult to adjust their game accordingly.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Propaganda Photo
Recording Date: 01.01.2026
