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Two undefeated runs continued in place at Anfield, but only one team could derive genuine satisfaction from the result. Daniel Farke's men executed a perfect game plan of stifling and containing the hosts, with the first scoreless draw of Arne Slot's tenure highlighting the lingering limitations behind the reigning champions' latest recovery.

Defensive Display Earns Vital Result

A drab scoreless stalemate, the first in 84 fixtures for Slot's team, was largely attributable to the defensive dominance of the excellent centre-back pairing Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk, coupled with the Anfield side's inability to break down a well-drilled visitors' unit. The Merseysiders were limited to hopeful opportunities, and a sprinkling of boos could be heard around the famous ground at the full-time signal on a sluggish display.

"If I don't utilise the entire squad and we have a schedule like this, I would not do this," Daniel Farke explained. "With a footballer like Dominic I have to protect him. We all are aware his recent history was difficult. He is in red-hot form but it's vital I look after him and sometimes the head needs to win over the heart."

The Hosts' Frustration in Front of Goal

Arne Slot's team initially showed more zip and precision than in recent outings, with the right wing-back influential on the flank. Nevertheless, clear-cut chances were few and far between. The home side's primary moments in the opening half involved forward Hugo Ekitiké.

• Following a smart one-two with Curtis Jones, the French forward cut inside and forced a stop from goalkeeper Lucas Perri at his near post.
• The visitors' shot-stopper spilled the shot, requiring a timely intervention from James Justin to stop Florian Wirtz tapping in the loose ball.
• Ekitiké later sprinted through onto a long ball but was held by Jaka Bijol; despite staying on his feet, his appeals for a penalty were dismissed.

Missed Opportunities Prove Pivotal

Ekitiké's afternoon was compounded when he failed to hit the target with his best opening. Connecting with a swift Frimpong delivery in the six-yard box, the striker miscued a glance that hit the goalkeeper while facing an unguarded net.

At the other end, their clearest sight of goal arrived from an Liverpool goalkeeper mistake. The Brazilian keeper played a careless pass directly to midfielder Ethan Ampadu, whose first-time effort back down the centre was gathered by the recovering Alisson.

Turgid Final Stages

The match descended into a bitty encounter, low on incident. The midfielder, returning from a ban, forced a save from Perri from distance. The resulting rebound led to Ampadu controlling the ball, giving the hosts a set-piece in a dangerous position, which Wirtz wasted into the wall.

Slot introduced a triple change to inject urgency, and soon after Virgil van Dijk went agonisingly close to nodding his team in ahead from a corner, his effort bouncing just past the post.

Substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin believed he had extended his goal run for Leeds in the closing stages, but his tap-in was flagged out for a tight offside call. Ultimately, the two teams had to accept a single of the points.