"Leeds succeeded in stifling and frustrating Liverpool as the first goalless draw of Arne Slot's reign underlined the limitations that linger behind the Premier League champions' recent recovery. A drab scoreless draw, the first in 84 Liverpool games under Slot, owed much to the defensive dominance of the excellent Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk but also the home side's inability to break down a compact Leeds unit. Liverpool were reduced to hopeful half chances and there was a smattering of boos around Anfield as the final whistle sounded on a laboured performance."
"The in-form forward had scored seven goals in six games but, given his injury record at Everton, the Leeds manager took no chances with a player who has become integral to this season's ambitions. If I don't use the whole group and we have a schedule like this, I would never do this, Farke said. For a player like Dominic I have to look after him. We all know his recent couple of years was difficult. He is in red-hot form but it's important I look after him and sometimes the head needs to win over the heart."
"A reasonable approach was undermined by the limited contribution of Calvert-Lewin's replacement, Lukas Nmecha, for the 70 minutes he was on the pitch before the pair swapped places again. Liverpool struggled when Farke switched to 4-3-3 at Elland Road. Containment was the priority at Anfield with a 3-5-2 formation and, a few Hugo Ekitike scares aside, Leeds succeeded during a fairly flat first half. The visitors started brightly and tested Liverpool from a series of early corners that Slot's side, now without a set-piece coach after the departure of Aaron Briggs, managed to clear."
Leeds earned a goalless draw at Anfield, frustrating Liverpool and halting the champions’ momentum. The match was Liverpool’s first 0-0 in 84 games under Arne Slot and featured strong defensive displays from Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk. Leeds prioritized containment with a compact 3-5-2 and limited Liverpool to hopeful half-chances. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was rested for fitness reasons, with Lukas Nmecha replacing him but contributing little before being swapped later. Liverpool dominated possession but struggled to convert chances, and the game ended amid boos from home supporters after a laboured performance.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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