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Two unbeaten records continued intact at Anfield, but solely one side could take real contentment from the result. Leeds United carried out a perfect game plan of frustrating and restricting the hosts, with the maiden goalless draw of Arne Slot's tenure underscoring the lingering issues within the current champions' recent recovery.

Defensive Display Secures Vital Result

A lacklustre scoreless draw, the first in 84 matches for Slot's team, was largely due to the defensive solidity of the outstanding centre-back pairing Struijk and Bijol, combined with the Anfield side's failure to break down a well-drilled visitors' defence. Liverpool were reduced to speculative opportunities, and a smattering of discontent could be heard around the stadium at the final whistle on a sluggish performance.

"If I don't utilise the entire squad and we have a schedule like this, I would never do this," Daniel Farke explained. "For a player like Dominic I have to protect him. We all are aware his past couple of years was difficult. He is in incredible form but it's important I look after him and sometimes the head needs to win over the heart."

Liverpool's Struggle in the Final Third

Liverpool at first showed more energy and precision than in recent matches, with the right wing-back influential on the flank. However, golden opportunities were few and far between. Their best moments in the first half involved forward Hugo Ekitiké.

• After a neat exchange with Curtis Jones, the French forward drifted infield and drew a stop from goalkeeper Lucas Perri at his front post.
• The visitors' goalkeeper could not hold the effort, needing a timely intervention from James Justin to prevent Florian Wirtz converting the rebound.
• Ekitiké later sprinted clear onto a long ball but was impeded by Jaka Bijol; although not going down, his appeals for a penalty were dismissed.

Spurned Opportunities Prove Costly

Ekitiké's afternoon worsened when he failed to find the net with his best chance. Connecting with a pacy Frimpong delivery in the goal area, the attacker misdirected a header that struck the goalkeeper while facing an unguarded net.

For Leeds, their clearest sight of goal arrived from an Alisson error. The experienced shot-stopper played a wayward clearance straight to disruptor Ethan Ampadu, whose first-time effort returned towards goal was saved by the recovering Alisson.

Scrappy Conclusion

The match descended into a bitty encounter, devoid on incident. The midfielder, returning from a ban, tested Perri from distance. The subsequent rebound led to Ampadu handling the ball, giving Liverpool a free-kick in a dangerous area, which Wirtz sent into the defence.

The Liverpool manager introduced a triple substitution to bring impetus, and moments later Virgil van Dijk went agonisingly close to nodding his side in front from a corner, his effort flying just past the post.

Substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin believed he had continued his goal run for the visitors in the closing stages, but his tap-in was ruled out for a tight offside. In the end, both teams had to settle for a share of the points.