What Leeds fans chanted to Liverpool players summed up Reds woes after latest disappointment
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The ECHO verdict after Liverpool threw away a 2-0 and 3-2 lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds at Elland RoadThe chant coming from the home fans as the clock ticked into its 100th minute here at Elland Road was about as prescient as anything else that can be said about another deeply disappointing day at the office for Liverpool."Two-nil and you f***** it up!" the Leeds faithful sang, having seen their side respond when two goals down and then once more when losing 3-2 to earn a huge point that caps off a fantastic week for Daniel Farke after Wednesday's 3-1 win over Chelsea here.For Arne Slot, there can be no more accurate way to surmise this madcap game in Yorkshire than that. After a turgid first half devoid of any real entertainment, his side were cruising to an important three points thanks to Hugo Ekitike's quick-fire double, only to see his players press the self-destruct button and throw it all away.And even when one of Liverpool's best-worked attacks of the entire season had brought a third from Dominik Szoboszlai, there was still time to toss it in the trash once more as they failed to defend a last-gasp corner that saw Ao Tanaka draw level.READ MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai revelation speaks volumes after Liverpool throw away win at LeedsREAD MORE: Liverpool's next five Premier League fixtures compared to main rivals after Leeds dramaJust where does Arne Slot go from here?
This time, it was Lucas Perri who wasn't really needed as the visitors struggled to make their territorial dominance count.Too often they knocked it about around the edge of the hosts' penalty area without any incision that might have unlocked the Leeds backline.The reliance on the forwards players to produce "a moment of magic" - to coin a Slot phrase - simply doesn't work when so many chins are on the floor. It's a worrying trend, regardless of how often Slot bemoans missed chances.Liverpool have scored just six goals in 675 first-half minutes this season and the last time they troubled the scoreboard before the break was over a month ago, against Aston Villa when Aston Villa's Emi Martinez gifted Mohamed Salah in stoppage time.But to reflect too much on the opening 45 minutes would do this contest a great disservice because it came alive after the restart to serve up a wild back-and-forth game that, from Liverpool's perspective, was so avoidable had they not panicked and wilted during a chaotic couple of minutes that saw Farke's side improbably drag themselves back into proceedings.It was symptomatic of how things have been in an attacking sense for the Reds that their opening goal, shortly after the restart, came via a terrible mistake at the back from their opponents.
Joe Rodon's square pass was too casual and Ekitike took charge, surging through before firing home.The France international's second was scored almost immediately and Liverpool were subsequently given the sort of freedom that they have been desperate for during recent weeks. Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired home to give Leeds a shot in the arm and two minutes later they were level after superb work from Brenden Aaronson was given its reward by Anton Stach.The smart money, given the lack of mental strength displayed by the champions when the going has got tough this term, was on Leeds completing the comeback but the Reds' class told when Ryan Gravenberch found Szoboszlai, via a sumptuous dummy from substitute Alexis Mac Allister, who did the rest with a cool finish for 3-2.Liverpool, though, were unable to see out the nine minutes of additional time and it was left to Tanaka to shake Elland Road to its foundations with Leeds' third of the night.