54 min: Leeds need a response and quickly. Ampadu hoicks a couple of long throws into the mixer from the left. The second comes off Konate and out for a corner. Stach sends it in, but Kerkez clears.
52 min: The goal stands! Ekitike’s shoulder nearly offside as the striker leans forward … but it’s on. Just. And just is enough. That’s Ekitike’s first double for Liverpool.
51 min: Leeds are claiming a foul on the keeper, though Ekitike had the right to go for the 50-50 ball, and simply got there first. But was he offside when Bradley crossed? VAR to check.
GOAL Leeds United 0-2 Liverpool (Ekitike 50)
Liverpool deserve the lead on the balance of play, and suddenly their tails are up. Ekitike barrels down the inside-right channel and into the box. He’s clipped from behind. Penalty? It’s not given. No matter! Liverpool come again, Bradley chasing after a ball that’s going out of play on the right. He keeps it in and whips low into the centre. Ekitike sticks out a leg and forces the ball past a sprawling Perri. What a double whammy!
GOAL! Leeds United 0-1 Liverpool (Ekitike 48)
Rodon plays a blind pass in from the Leeds right. It’s between his defenders. Ekitike reacts first, getting to the loose ball ahead of Ampadu. He takes a touch towards the box, then another on the edge of the D, before giving Perri the eyes and sweeping into the bottom left. Fine opportunism, lovely finish, awful defending.
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46 min: Konate misses a clearing header and suddenly Okafor is in space down the left, advancing on the Liverpool box. But Calvert-Lewin is adjudged to have shoved Konate in mid-air and the whistle goes. That’s a soft free kick.
Leeds get the second half underway. No changes, though Salah and Isak were both put through their paces during the break. “I think our problem this season has been a perfect storm of reliable players being out of form,” writes Graeme Neill. “Not just Salah and Konate; VVD has been shocking, Mac Allister was essential to our success last season and Gakpo was one of those brilliant under-the-radar players that every title winning side needs.”
Half-time postbag. “Painful to watch Florian Wirtz here. He seems completely unable to get himself in a spot where a teammate can pass to him. It looks a lot like the kid who can’t really play and spends the whole game hiding from the ball. Really dreadful I’m afraid. Or worse, his teammates don’t really trust him and don’t want to give him the ball. Or both” – David Hindle
“If Leeds play long, Liverpool’s centre-backs are nowhere to be found: the same situation as the Sunderland match, where Chiesa far quicker to react than the centre-backs. Not good” – Nigel Guest
“This doesn’t feel like a match between last season’s champions of the top and second flight, but it does feel like 12th versus 17th” – Kári Tulinius
“Curtis Jones hit the bar. On target in a sane universe” – Ian Copestake
Half-time ad break. The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Liverpool
No goals, no attempts on target, though Curtis Jones did hit the crossbar. Leeds will be happy enough with the way this is going. Liverpool, so blunt up front, may be considering Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak … or perhaps Federico Chiesa? After his midweek heroics against Sunderland, perhaps he’s earned a runout?
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45 min +3: Bradley slides in late on Ampadu, who was going nowhere in midfield. He earns himself a booking that will keep him out of Liverpool’s next league game, at home to Brighton next Saturday. Pretty daft.
45 min +2: Liverpool stroke it around to very little effect.
45 min: There have been no shots on target in this first half. Three additional minutes for the teams to sort that out.
43 min: Liverpool continue to pin Leeds back, but once again get frustrated as the home defence holds firm. Eventually Ekitike skittles Gudmundsson, and it’s the whistle / ironic cheering dynamic again.
41 min: The corner leads to an extended period of bedlam in the Leeds box. Leeds can’t quite clear; Liverpool can’t quite get the ball under control for a pop at goal. Eventually Gravenberch bundles into Gruev and the whistle goes for a free kick. The Leeds fans erupt with ironic glee. They’ve not taken to this referee at all.
Updated
40 min: Szoboszlai pings a long ball down the inside-left channel for Gakpo, who is clear! But he doesn’t advance on the box with conviction, allowing Rodon to stick by his side. Gakpo makes enough space to shoot, but his low drive is deflected wide left.
39 min: Struijk wrestles with Ekitike on the halfway line and the decision goes against him. The home fans aren’t happy with the referee at all.
37 min: Kerkez busies himself down the left and releases Gakpo, who crosses for Ekitike, six yards out. Ekitike miscontrols, then tries to regain possession by extending his leg. He catches Bijol on the top of his head with a stud or two. Accidental, and there are no hard feelings between the pair after the whistle goes for a free kick.
35 min: Okafor’s sheer presence leads to a corner down the left. Leeds play it short before Gudmundsson crosses. Calvert-Lewin makes a nuisance of himself with his back to goal, and lays off to Struijk, who can only swivel and swish wide left under pressure from hos own man Stach, getting in the way. A big half-chance. A three-quarter chance?
34 min: Kerkez hasn’t had the best start to his Liverpool career, to say the least, but he’s looked the part so far today. Here he curls a speculative low cross in from a deep position on the left. He will have expected someone to gamble on a run. But nobody makes one, and Perri claims.
32 min: Kerkez, snapping in the tackle, steals the ball brilliantly on the halfway line and sends Liverpool off on the counter. Szoboszlai feeds Gakpo down the left and into the box … but Gakpo’s dinked cross, intended for Ekitike at the far stick, is no good whatsoever. What a waste.
31 min: Gudmundsson curls in from the left. Calvert-Lewin gets in between Van Dijk and Konate but can’t connect properly with a header, and eyebrows the ball away from danger. Lovely delivery, and better from Leeds after a slightly dodgy spell.
29 min: Calvert-Lewin backs himself in a footrace with Konate down the left touchline … but loses it, the big defender positioning himself between man and ball and refusing to budge. Calvert-Lewin eventually concedes the foul. Konate’s been woefully out of form this season, but he’s been good in these early exchanges.
27 min: Szoboszlai delivers a good free kick this time, in from the right. He finds Van Dijk, eight yards out. The Liverpool defender powers a header over the bar. He should have worked Perri at the very least. The cross presented itself so nicely, at the perfect height, that he really should have scored.
26 min: Gudmundsson slides in late on Bradley. It was a 40-60 chance to win the ball at best. He catches his opponent’s ankle. A clear booking. Leeds aren’t happy about it, but it was a no-brainer for the referee.
24 min: Wirtz finds a little bit of space on the right but can’t decide whether to take it on himself or interchange with Gravenberch. In the end, he achieves neither. Perri claims.
23 min: Leeds immediately go up the other end, and Van Dijk’s weak backwards header nearly lets Okafor nip clear. Van Dijk, uncertainty suddenly a part of his make-up, is thankful that Konate and Szoboszlai combine to swarm Okafor and clear up the mess.
22 min: Szoboszlai whips the free kick up over the wall, looking for the top-left corner. Up … but not back down. Not his best effort. Goal kick.
21 min: Gruev wins a throw down the left. Ampadu comes across and towels down the ball. Then flings it long. Gakpo clears, and Liverpool counter quickly. Ekitike gallops down the left and flicks infield for Gakpo, who looks to advance down the inside-left channel with an instant touch, only to be upended by Bogle, who goes into the book. No complaints. A free kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards out, just left of centre.
19 min: Gravenberch finds Gakpo on the left with a delicious crossfield pass. Gakpo sends the ball towards the far stick, hoping to find the head of Ekitike. The whipped cross is a couple of inches too high. Goal kick.
17 min: Szoboszlai’s delivery, in from the right, is once again lacking. Like his free kick before, it fails to beat the first man. Liverpool are still to score from a corner in the Premier League this season.
16 min: Space for Jones on the left-hand corner of the Leeds box. He opens his body and shapes a power curler towards the top-right corner. He beats Perri, only for the ball to carom off the junction of post and bar. So unlucky! Then Ekitike has a whack that deflects away for Liverpool’s first corner.
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15 min: The busy Jones snatches the ball off a dozing Stach, and tees up Gakpo for a shot, 25 yards out. The ball slams into the nearest defender and away. Liverpool are beginning to settle.
14 min: Ekitike is back up, and after hovering on the touchline awhile, is allowed back on.
12 min: Kerkez crosses high from the left. Perri punches clear, but also catches Ekitike on the ear with his follow-through. Ekitike stays down. He felt that. No question of a penalty – Liverpool certainly don’t ask for one – but the striker needs some treatment. On comes the physio.
11 min: Gudmundsson finds himself in a bit of space on the left. He delivers a fine low cross, along the corridor of uncertainty, but nobody in white is following up and Alisson claims.
9 min: A period of calm possession for Liverpool, their first of the match. It quietens Elland Road … a little bit.
7 min: Kerkez has a bit of space down the inside-left channel, so decides to purchase a ticket to the lottery. A wild swipe disappears high into the stand.
6 min: Stach sends in a low corner. Kerkez, stooping, can’t connect with a header, but Konate blooters clear. The Liverpool defence isn’t at the races.
Updated
5 min: Okafor dribbles hard down the left wing, necessitating Gravenberch to come over and slam out for a throw. Ampadu flings it in long. The Liverpool defence allows it to bounce a couple of times, allowing Okafor the opportunity to shoot. His effort is deflected wide left. The first corner of the match coming up.
3 min: Now it’s Leeds’ turn to swing in a free kick. Stach from the right. It’s only half-cleared and drops to Gudmundsson, who chests down and attempts one of those lazy-looking Le Tissieresque swipes from distance. It loops over the bar. Alisson had it covered, but this is a confident start by Leeds.
2 min: Jones loses an aerial duel with Ampadu 30 yards from his own goal, and suddenly Okafor finds himself in space down the inside-left channel. He drags a weak shot across Alisson and wide right. A lively start by both sides.
1 min: Bradley shields the ball on the right touchline, only to be skittled by Gruev. Szoboszlai swings in the free kick … but it’s not very good. It’s half-cleared by the first man, then Ekitike is caught offside.
A quick blast of the piccolo-fest Marching On Together … then Liverpool get the ball rolling. A fantastic atmosphere.
The teams are out at Elland Road. Leeds United in Revie-inspired all-white, Liverpool in Shankly-inspired all-red. Two inspirational figures who knew one or two things about psychology. Everyone looking immense, everyone looking good. It’s hosing down under the lights in West Yorkshire; quite the scene. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
Readers react to the updated Premier League table. “I’ve been fairly relaxed about Liverpool’s form so far. The title memory is still fresh and, being only the second in 35 years, still worth celebrating. And 450m quid is a lot, but it wasn’t my money. But seven places behind Everton? If that doesn’t qualify as a crisis, then I’m not sure what does: – Tim Woods
“Following Villa’s victory earlier, it’s On! The league is back On!*” – Matt Dony
“ *It is far, far from ‘On’ ” – Matt Dony
“Not sure how Liverpool can be favourites given their lack of oomph every other game. But the betting industry cannot be wrong. So lump on!” – Ian Copestake
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Daniel Farke’s turn to talk to Sky. “We have to go one more time over the line … we have played a few big names … not just the best teams in the UK but the world … we need always a top performance … we had a good second half against Manchester City … a good game against Chelsea … we need physically to be spot on … fight … aggressiveness … be good on the ball.”
He also reports that Lukas Nmecha is missing with a “hamstring strain … we hope to have him back for the next games.”
Arne Slot speaks to Sky Sports. “It is never an easy decision [to bench Mohamed Salah] because we all know what a great player he is … but it’s also up to me to pick the team I think we need today … that’s why I made this decision … it’s not only us, it’s the team we face … the last game I saw from them they have made it really difficult for [Manchester] City in the second half … changed their playing style a little bit … I saw the same against Chelsea … so we tried to adapt to their strength and hopefully we can hurt them where we think there are possibilities … fresh legs … for the third time this season we play three games in seven days … I don’t think last season we had this once … in this intense league when two of them are away from home, you need fresh legs … Alex [Isak] wasn’t fully recovered … I brought in a few … very good players as well … we are far from where we want to be … we have to accept the situation we are in … [having conceded ten goals in three games] in the last two games we have only conceded one and we were one deflection away from keeping a clean sheet.”
All of the earlier Premier League kick-offs have now finished. John Brewin has all the details in Clockwatch, but here are the classifieds anyway.
Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea
Everton 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Manchester City 3-0 Sunderland
Newcastle United 2-1 Burnley
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Brentford
All of that means Manchester City cut Arsenal’s lead to just a couple of points, while Everton fly all the way up to fifth. Liverpool can leapfrog their arch rivals with victory this evening. Meanwhile Nottingham Forest’s heavy defeat on the banks of the Mersey gives Leeds the opportunity to overtake them into 16th spot with a win here today. It’s quite the fluid table.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 33 |
| 2 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 31 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 7 | 30 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 15 | 10 | 25 |
| 5 | Everton | 15 | 1 | 24 |
| 6 | Crystal Palace | 14 | 7 | 23 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 15 | 1 | 23 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 7 | 22 |
| 9 | Brighton | 14 | 4 | 22 |
| 10 | Newcastle | 15 | 2 | 22 |
| 11 | Man Utd | 14 | 1 | 22 |
| 12 | Liverpool | 14 | 0 | 22 |
| 13 | AFC Bournemouth | 15 | -3 | 20 |
| 14 | Brentford | 15 | -3 | 19 |
| 15 | Fulham | 14 | -3 | 17 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 15 | -11 | 15 |
| 17 | Leeds | 14 | -10 | 14 |
| 18 | West Ham | 14 | -12 | 12 |
| 19 | Burnley | 15 | -14 | 10 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 14 | -22 | 2 |
Leeds United make two changes to their starting XI following the win over Chelsea. Noah Okafor and Ilia Gruev replace Ao Tanaka, who drops to the bench, and Lukas Nmecha, who misses out altogether.
Liverpool make four changes after the draw with Sunderland. Both full-backs are replaced: Conor Bradley and Milos Kerkez come in for Joe Gomez and Andrew Robertson. Curtis Jones replaces Alexis MacAllister in the midfield, while Hugo Ekitike steps in for Alexander Isak. All four of the replaced players are on the bench, alongside Mohamed Salah, named as sub for the third game running.
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The teams
Leeds United: Perri, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Bogle, Stach, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor.
Subs: Darlow, Piroe, Aaronson, Harrison, Tanaka, Bornauw, Justin, Byram, Gnonto.
Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Isak, Mac Allister, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ngumoha.
Referee: Anthony Taylor
VAR: John Brooks
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Preamble
Welcome to our coverage of the rerun of the 1965 FA Cup final. Which is how the kids round our way are framing it. Here’s a snapshot of that day, as seen through the eyes of the cheeky chap from the ‘Pool, everybody’s pal, the jolly gap-toothed scouser with a twinkle in his eye and a smile for every honest Englishman.
Liverpool went into that final as favourites, prevailing 2-1 after extra time. They’re the bookies’ favourites to win this evening, too, though you have to wonder whether reputation is trumping present form here. Leeds are coming off the back of a spirit-enhancing 3-1 win over bitter rivals Chelsea, while Liverpool were stultifyingly awful in scraping a draw against Sunderland. And while it’s true that Leeds had lost their previous four matches, and six of the previous seven, Liverpool have tasted defeat in nine of their last 14 games, so good luck confidently picking a winner from that pile of rubble. Oh Daniel. Oh Arne.
Nobody would be surprised if the reigning champions clamber back on the horse this evening, relocate their groove, and give the newly promoted hosts a good shoeing. But then neither would anybody be particularly shocked if Leeds build on their morale-boosing midweek win by staging another rafter-bothering Elland Road energy piece, and become the latest in a long line of teams to thoroughly embarrass Liverpool. So it’s poised deliciously for the neutral … and also promises to be quite the ride, one way or another, for the partial as well. Kick-off is at 5.30pm GMT. It’s on! O-ho!
