Liverpool’s season lurched further into uncertainty as Ao Tanaka struck in the 96th minute to complete a ferocious Leeds comeback and seal a pulsating 3–3 draw at Elland Road. What should have been a straightforward climb into fifth place instead became another bruising reminder of the fragility that has defined Arne Slot’s troubled start to life in charge.
Twice Liverpool held two-goal cushions. Twice they let them slip.
Even before Leeds began their fightback, the evening had an unsettling tone. For the third game in a row, Mohamed Salah was left out of the starting XI, and astonishingly, Slot declined to use him even as Liverpool lost their grip. The decision prompted an explosive post-match outburst from the forward and cast immediate doubt over his long-term future at Anfield.
Liverpool had actually engineered full control early in the second half. Hugo Ekitike, sharp and alert after the restart, rattled in two quick goals to put the champions firmly in command. Leeds, already chasing shadows, looked spent — until Ibrahima Konaté altered the destiny of the entire match. His rash lunge on Wilfried Gnonto in the box invited a VAR intervention, and the referee pointed to the spot. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, brimming with confidence, tucked it away for his third goal in three games.
Leeds sensed weakness instantly. Barely three minutes later, Anton Stach pounced amid defensive confusion to lash in the equaliser. Daniel Farke’s triple substitution had completely transformed the tempo, injecting the exact aggression and belief Leeds had been lacking for most of the night.
Liverpool clawed back control when Dominik Szoboszlai swept in a cool finish with 10 minutes to go, and for a fleeting moment Elland Road fell silent. It looked like Liverpool had finally steadied themselves — only for the familiar pattern of collapse to strike again. Deep into stoppage time, a corner was flicked on, Liverpool failed to track runners, and Tanaka stole in at the back post to slam home a dramatic equaliser. Elland Road erupted. Leeds, who had taken four points from Chelsea and Liverpool in four days after a week clouded by rumours about Farke’s job, celebrated like victors.
For Liverpool, however, it was another wound in a season full of them. Slot described the result as self-inflicted, lamenting yet another late concession and familiar errors at set-pieces — issues that have repeatedly cost his side points. Szoboszlai admitted Liverpool had switched off after going 2–0 up, suggesting complacency had seeped into the squad at precisely the wrong time.
Leeds, exhausted but euphoric, saw it differently. Farke called it a result that “felt like a win,” praising his players’ refusal to fold against a heavyweight opponent despite mounting fatigue.
By full time, the atmosphere told its own story: Leeds jubilant, Liverpool deflated and confused, and Slot left to confront uncomfortable truths. The champions are dropping points everywhere — and the Premier League table, once a formality, now looks like a mountain.
