Leeds United and Liverpool delivered a thrilling 3-3 spectacle at Elland Road, a match packed with momentum swings, penalty drama and a breathless finish deep into stoppage time. However, Arne Slot has a few complaints.
Ao Tanaka struck in injury time to rescue a fully deserved point for Leeds, capping off an electrifying Premier League encounter that kept the home crowd on edge throughout.
Liverpool seemed to be in full control after Hugo Ekitike netted twice early in the second half to hand the visitors a 2-0 cushion. But Leeds roared back, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach scoring in quick succession to bring the game level.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s 80th-minute effort looked set to seal all three points for Liverpool, yet Leeds refused to fold. Tanaka’s late heroics ensured the Whites ended a dramatic night at Elland Road with smiles and a point to show for their resilience, which left Slot miffed.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot is complaining about the penalty that started the comeback for Leeds United
Liverpool should have buried the game after Hugo Ekitike scored twice to give them a 2-0 lead in the second half. However, the game changed when Ibrahima Konate fouled Wilfried Gnonto inside the penalty box.
Slot indicated that the mood inside the Liverpool dressing room is on the floor after they dropped more points in what is turning out to be a hugely challenging season.
However, the Liverpool manager feels that the penalty that changed the game may not have been a correct decision. But the Dutchman stressed that he cannot blame the officials for his team’s failings.
“It’s not the first time we’ve dropped points. It’s not the first time we have conceded a goal in the last minute. It’s not the first time we have conceded a set-piece. I think everyone can understand what the mood was in the dressing room”, Slot said on Sky Sports.
“I don’t think we conceded any chance until we were 2-0 up. The penalty wasn’t a chance, but we made it a chance because it led to a penalty, with a VAR intervention one more time.
“What you can say is he tries to do everything to prevent a cross from coming. If you want to call it a mistake, it’s a mistake from hard work and trying. There was contact, that’s for sure. He was already on his way, going to the floor, but again, we should look at ourselves.”
He added more to his take on the penalty decision: “Unfortunately for him, he does a lot of things well, but he has been on the crime scene a lot. A phrase I have heard in England.
“A tackle came from an effort to block the cross. The ball went out, player down, then contact. Should VAR have intervened then?”
Leeds United will not care
After a horrid run of form, which saw them lose four games on the bounce, Daniel Farke and his Leeds team have bounced back with two great results.
The 3-1 win over Chelsea in midweek restored confidence inside the dressing room and bought Farke more time after it seemed certain that he was likely to get sacked.
However, the 3-3 draw against Liverpool showed the team’s fighting qualities and ensured that the recent upturn in form is not just a mirage.
Leeds have climbed up to 16th in the league table, and while they are just three points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham, the Whites are again looking like the resilient team from the start of the season.
Farke will hope that his team show the same fighting spirit when they travel to London to take on Brentford a week from Sunday.
