UK national media doesn't hide from truth with reaction to Liverpool-Leeds draw

Liverpool started 2026 with a goalless draw against Leeds in the Premier League at Anfield on New Year's Day, prompting widespread criticism of the performance and tactics

Liverpool drew 0-0 with Leeds on New Year's Day(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool's start to 2026 was underwhelming, as the Reds were held to a goalless stalemate with Leeds at Anfield.

Liverpool has now gone seven games unbeaten in the Premier League, but Arne Slot and his players would've wanted a victory against Leeds, a team battling relegation near the bottom of the table. Next up for the Reds is their trip to Fulham on Sunday.

Liverpool.com was present at the match to provide comprehensive coverage. Our colleagues from the national press were also in attendance to offer their own perspectives on the game. Here's what they made of a frustrating draw for the Reds.

Paul Joyce, of The Times, wrote: "Arne Slot has argued in recent weeks that judgment should be reserved on Liverpool’s season until the halfway point of the campaign. Now it is here, the only plausible verdict is that his side remain far, far away from where he hoped they would be by now both in terms of position and the manner of their tepid performances.

"Amid the endless huff and puff it was difficult to recall the Leeds United goalkeeper Lucas Perri being overly exerted, while only an offside call prevented the visiting striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, held back as a substitute, from scoring for the seventh successive Premier League game in the closing stages."

Joyce added: "It was a joyless occasion for the home spectators and a difficult watch."

Liverpool failed to score against Leeds(Image: Getty Images)

The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele noted: "Those around the country nursing hangovers after seeing 2025 out in style might have wondered if Liverpool had also spent New Year’s Eve with a night on the tiles. The Premier League champions were also slow, lethargic and lacking creativity as Leeds, for the second time in the last month, registered a point against them.

"This one was much less entertaining than the 3-3 reverse and many around the country may have drifted off to sleep this time rather than the box-office, edge-of-the-seat thriller at Elland Road. And that is the problem with Liverpool and Arne Slot right now. It is all a bit boring."

Steele added: "They have 'stopped the bleeding' to reference a quote from Steven Gerrard about them last month, and we must admit they are much tighter defensively.

"Gone are the days of shipping goals for fun against PSV Eindhoven and Nottingham Forest, 4-1 and 3-0 defeats. Yet in doing so, Slot has just exposed a problem elsewhere. He has fixed the leak but diverted the issue elsewhere."

The Mirror's Daniel Orme wrote: "For all of the firepower at their disposal, Liverpool's attacking play against Leeds was their undoing. Throughout the 90 minutes, they only managed to generate three shots on target.

"That is simply not good enough for a side aiming to secure a spot in the Champions League come the end of the season."

And Jason Burt, who was at Anfield for the Daily Telegraph, wrote: "That shut-out for both sides was the first, in his 84th game in charge, registered under Arne Slot, who has promised open, exciting attacking football but unfortunately delivered a stodgy, slow start to 2026.

"The head coach shook his head on the sideline as his team labored and at what he perceived was diving from Leeds. But Slot also knew and accepted that Liverpool lacked a cutting edge and they lacked urgency."

Burt added: "It still feels like a slog, and they will come away from this one deeply frustrated. With the transfer window open, there has been so much talk of their need for anot

her center-half. But they absolutely also require another forward."