"If head coach Arne Slot hoped to start the new year with a bang, Liverpool's first outing of 2026 must have left him sorely disappointed. After a 2025 that lurched from the sublime to the ridiculous, the Premier League champions will hope their insipid display in Thursday's 0-0 draw with Leeds United does not set the tone for the months ahead."
"Following a torrid autumn in which Liverpool lost nine out of 12 games in all competitions, the festive period offered some green shoots of recovery, with Inter Milan, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur among the opponents vanquished in recent weeks. But while the stalemate with Daniel Farke's side means the Reds are now unbeaten in eight matches and a point closer in the table to third-placed Aston Villa, the atmosphere at Anfield on Thursday was far from celebratory, as familiar problems reared their heads and Liverpool too often looked devoid of ideas."
"It was the first 0-0 draw of Slot's 84-game tenure and Liverpool's first since December 2023, when they were held at home by Erik ten Hag's Manchester United. It was also only the fourth time Liverpool had failed to score in the Premier League since the start of last season."
Liverpool produced a subdued performance in a 0-0 draw with Leeds, leaving head coach Arne Slot visibly disappointed. The team remains 12 points behind league leaders Arsenal and lacks the swagger that secured last season's title. An autumn run of nine defeats from 12 matches preceded a modest recovery over the festive period with wins against Inter Milan, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham. The draw extended an unbeaten run to eight matches and moved Liverpool a point closer to third place, but familiar tactical problems and a lack of attacking ideas persisted at Anfield.
Read at ESPN.com
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