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Arne Slot's players will be determined to finish in the top four of the Premier League after failing to keep up with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool missed a "big opportunity" by not beating Leeds on New Year's Day.
Arne Slot and his players were held to a goalless draw at Anfield in their first Premier League game of 2026. The Reds failed to create clear-cut chances throughout the match, managing just three shots on target against a team battling relegation in Leeds.
The result leaves Liverpool fourth in the Premier League table, three points ahead of Chelsea in fifth and Manchester United in sixth. Carragher thinks the Reds wasted a great chance to give themselves breathing space in the race for Champions League soccer.
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"I mentioned before the game that this was a big opportunity for Liverpool when you consider some of the results this week, namely for Manchester United and Chelsea," said Carragher on Sky Sports following the goalless draw against Leeds.
Chelsea has slipped down the Premier League table after picking up just two points from the team's last three Premier League games. The Blues parted company with their manager, Enzo Maresca, on New Year's Day.
Manchester United has also struggled in recent weeks, drawing at home to both Bournemouth and Wolves. The Premier League's top-four race is still wide open, with just 10 points separating Liverpool in fourth and Bournemouth in 15th.
Carragher added: "As l said throughout the game, Liverpool are on a decent run, but performances will have to improve in the second half of the season to make sure Liverpool play in the Champions League next season."
Last year, the Premier League's top five teams qualified for this season's Champions League thanks to European Performance Spots (EPS). Each season, an additional Champions League spot is awarded to the two best-performing nations in European competitions.
England is on course to be one of those two nations, which means a fifth-placed finish would be enough for Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League. But it's too early to say for sure, and the Reds will want to solidify their place in the Premier League's top four.
Speaking after Thursday's game, Slot said: "You would like to start the year with a win, but it was difficult.
"I don't think we were able to play many times through their low block. When we did, we didn't have enough bodies in front of goal, and other times we were unfortunate.
"If you look at football, then you see two ways of unlocking a low block. You need to pace, you need to be quick and dominate your one-on-one situations, or you need a set-piece.
"We were close with a set-piece through Virgil (van Dijk) and close a few times with Jeremie (Frimpong) on one-on-ones."
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