Premier League — Liverpool were held to a 3-3 draw against Leeds as pressure mounts on Slot

Liverpool suffered another embarrassing capitulation to pile the pressure on manager Arne Slot as Leeds hit back twice to salvage a thrilling 3-3 draw on Saturday.

The Reds took the lead twice – first 2-0 and then 3-2, thanks to Hugo Ekitike’s quick double and Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike – but still couldn’t finish the match and failed to win for the eighth time in their last ten league games.

Slot’s faith in Ibrahima Konate will be questioned again after the French centre-back was awarded a penalty to start the Leeds clash.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach’s penalty leveled before Szoboszlai quickly restored Liverpool’s lead.

But deep into injury time, Liverpool failed to convert a corner, leaving Ao Tanaka unmarked at the back post to fire home.

The draw leaves Liverpool languishing in eighth place in the table, with no signs of an alarming decline since winning a record 20th title last season.

Slot showed his confidence in Ekitike when he was favored to sign Alexander Isak up front, while Mohamed Salah was also left on the bench for the third consecutive match.

Leeds were buoyed by an impressive 3-1 win over Chelsea in midweek, which put to rest doubts over Daniel Farke’s future, and another valuable point sees them move three points clear of the relegation zone.

Curtis Jones came closest to breaking the deadlock in a goalless first half with a curling effort that came back off the crossbar.

Leeds were the architects of their own demise early in the second period when Ekitike bounced on a loose pass from Joe Rodon and calmly slotted past Lucas Perri.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker then pounced on Conor Bradley’s low cross and was lucky when Perri’s clearance attempt rebounded off Ekitike.

Ekitike is the only one of Liverpool’s big-money signings in the almost £450m he has spent so far in the transfer window to fulfill his potential.

The Frenchman has now scored eight goals for the Reds, despite his playing time having been negatively affected since Isak returned to fitness.

Yet Leeds were given a lifeline by sloppy defending at the other end.

Konate’s woeful form has been a recurring feature of Liverpool’s decline this season.

He needlessly dived in to bring down Willy Gnonto on the touchline, and Leeds were ultimately awarded a penalty 17 minutes from time following a VAR review.

Calvert-Lewin knocked home the penalty and within seconds Leeds were level.

Stach was given far too much space in the Liverpool penalty area before wrong-footing Alisson Becker with a powerful drive into the top corner.

However, Leeds led the way in the hunt for a winner as the visitor hit straight back when Szoboszlai latched onto Alexis Mac Allister’s clever dummy and fired into the far corner.

Published on December 7, 2025