Arne Slot’s surprising choice backfires as Liverpool throw away win vs Leeds

Liverpool threw away victory twice at Elland Road as Leeds United salvaged a 3-3 draw to pile the pressure on Arne Slot.

The Reds appeared to be in complete control of their trip to Elland Road when Hugo Ekitike scored twice in two second-half minutes to seemingly comfortably set the Reds on their way to back-to-back wins.

However, the Reds had to win the game all over again after Leeds made a quick turnaround of their own, capitalising on careless defending and overly cautious tactics from Slot. But there was a late sting in the tail when Ao Tanaka fired home an injury-time equaliser.

Liverpool initially started slowly before growing into the game and claiming a foothold. And they almost took the lead in style in the 16th minute when Curtis Jones whipped a right footed effort onto the crossbar from outside the box.

Van Dijk then missed the best chance of the first-half when he ran onto the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s perfectly placed free-kick. But the Dutchman was disappointingly unable to keep his header down.

Chances were at a premium in the first-half and Cody Gakpo will feel he should have been more useful in possession when he took too long to get his strike away after running into the Leeds penalty box.

A route one counter attack from the Reds set Gakpo clear, but he delayed his effort too long cutting inside on his right foot and his shot was deflected wide for a corner. The winger then squandered another chance in the half to deliver with quality as his ball into the box in the subsequent attack failed to beat the first man.

Both sides entered the break goalless in a game that was crying out for a goal. And after largely coping comfortably with the Reds in the first-half, Leeds shot themselves in the foot minutes into the second half, appearing to lose the game in two second-half minutes.

A dreadful pass across the face of his own goal from Joe Rodon was intercepted by Hugo Ekitike, who after a quiet first-half, gobbled up the chance to bear down on goal and slot past Lucas Perri to end his run of eight Premier League games without a goal.

And the Frenchman didn’t have to wait long for his next as just two minutes later he stabbed home Liverpool’s second in the 50th minute.

More shambolic defending from Leeds saw Gabriel Gudmundsson attempt to dribble out from defence, but he was easily robbed by Conor Bradley. The right back fired a cross into the box which Ekitike, like a true No.9, threw himself at to bundle the ball into the goal that firmly knocked the stuffing out of the home players and fans.

After a VAR check, the goal was given and Liverpool’s path to victory and curbing the pressure on Slot was clear in two second half minutes.

But it’s obvious, the one thing you don’t allow to happen when playing at Elland Road when in control of the game is let them have a sniff. But that’s exactly what this Liverpool team did.

Leeds looked as though they had nothing to offer, until Ibrahima Konate made a brainless challenge to gift the hosts a route back into the game. His clumsy attempt to block a cross saw him make contact with Wilfred Gnonto in the penalty box and bring him down.

The decision wasn’t originally given on field, but Anthony Taylor awarded the spot kick after a review, calling Konate’s tackle “careless.” Ex-Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to score the penalty and raise the temperature in Elland Road.

Liverpool’s collapse was completed moments later when Anton Stach wriggled his way through bodies of Liverpool defenders before firing in the equaliser as the game turned again in another crazy two minutes.

Slot’s side had completely blown the game, his decision to bring Alexis Mac Allister on for Florian Wirtz instead of bringing Mohamed Salah or Alexander Isak off the bench showed how weary the Dutchman was to see the game out, rather than kill it off.

But just as questions were being asked about Slot’s controversial decision to still leave Salah and Isak on the bench, Liverpool swooped forward, with Mac Allister playing in Szoboszlai to slot home and put the Reds back in front.

Isak was eventually brought off the bench, but it was all too late. Leeds were mounting attacks and Tanaka was the man to crush the Reds, firing home a volley from a corner deep in added time.

Liverpool have again chucked away points from commanding winning positions, and you feel there are only so many times the same story can be told about Liverpool this season.