Hope flickered at Anfield once again, but Liverpool’s frustrating journey saw it extinguished.
While leading by two goals, a momentary lapse allowed a Leeds United strike, and almost immediately, another followed. The contest was on, and Liverpool still seemed on course for victory — but in the dying moments, Leeds turned everything around. Their spirited performance held the defending champions at bay.
On Saturday at Leeds’ home ground, a rollercoaster Premier League clash ended in a 3-3 draw.
Liverpool surged 2-0 in the first five minutes of the second half thanks to a brace from Hugo Ekitik. Leeds fought back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton, leveling the score. Shortly after, Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s lead, but deep into stoppage time, Tanaka snatched a point for the hosts.
Caught in a cycle of setbacks, Liverpool dropped points for the second consecutive league match, after narrowly avoiding defeat against Sunderland last week.
After 15 matches, Liverpool remain in 8th place with 23 points, the same as Crystal Palace and Sunderland above them — though Palace have played one fewer game. Leeds sit 16th with 15 points, while Arsenal lead the table with 33 points from an equal number of matches.
The first half at Leeds didn’t offer much excitement or attractive football. Both sides had attempts on goal — Liverpool with eight, Leeds with five — yet none tested the keeper. Remarkably, this was the first Premier League first half in over 18 months where so many shots failed to hit the target. The previous record was in April 2024, Everton vs. Brentford, with 16 off-target shots.
After the break, Ekitik’s brilliance put Liverpool 2-0 ahead. In the 48th minute, capitalizing on a Leeds error, he beat a defender, entered the box, and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, from a Conor Bradley cross, the French forward tapped in at the near post to double the lead.
Everything seemed to be going Liverpool’s way — until the 70th minute. Defender Ibrahima Konaté fouled Wilfried N’Yonto near the byline in the box, allowing Calvert-Lewin to pull one back from the penalty spot. Just two minutes later, Anton leveled the match with a powerful strike after cutting inside the box.
Liverpool regained the lead shortly after, as Szoboszlai found the net from inside the box.
But in the 96th minute, Leeds broke hearts. From the right side of the six-yard box, Japanese midfielder Tanaka slotted home, sending the stadium into ecstasy and leaving Liverpool’s players in visible despair.
It was another bitter twist in a season of frustration for the Reds.
