Leeds’ Late Leveller Stuns Liverpool in Six-Goal Thriller

Leeds 3-3 Liverpool: Tanaka’s Last-Gasp Equaliser Caps Chaos at Elland Road

Leeds United stunned Liverpool with a stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Ao Tanaka, sealing a dramatic 3-3 draw in a wild six-goal second half at Elland Road.

Trailing 2-0 early in the second half after a Hugo Ekitike brace, Leeds battled back with goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach before Dominik Szoboszlai appeared to win it for the Reds. But Tanaka’s strike in the 96th minute completed a pulsating comeback and left Arne Slot’s side frustrated yet again.

First Half: Goalless But Promising

Despite a bright start and plenty of possession, Liverpool couldn’t find a way past Leeds’ deep block. Curtis Jones came closest, rattling the post with a long-range curler, while Gakpo, Wirtz, and Ekitike failed to seriously trouble Lucas Perri.

Slot once again left Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak on the bench, choosing to stick with a 4-2-3-1 and start Szoboszlai wide right.

Second Half Explodes into Life

The breakthrough came in the 48th minute, courtesy of a defensive howler. Joe Rodon’s loose pass was pounced on by Ekitike, who skipped past Ampadu and slotted home his first Premier League goal since September.

Just three minutes later, the Frenchman doubled Liverpool’s lead, stabbing home from close range and becoming the first Red to score a brace this season.

But instead of pushing on, Liverpool’s defensive frailty resurfaced.

Leeds Rally: Penalty and Pressure Pay Off

Ao Tanaka celebrates his late leveller

Ibrahima Konaté gifted Leeds a lifeline with a reckless foul on Gnonto, allowing Calvert-Lewin to fire home from the spot. The crowd came alive, and soon after, Anton Stach punished Liverpool’s soft centre again, slotting in from the edge of the area to make it 2-2.

Szoboszlai briefly restored Liverpool’s lead with a classy finish in the 80th minute, but Leeds were not done yet.

Tanaka’s Moment: Last-Kick Drama

In the sixth minute of added time, Tanaka, recently introduced, pounced on a loose ball from a corner to blast home the equaliser. The stadium erupted as Leeds claimed a vital point in their relegation battle.

The result lifts Leeds to 16th, three points above the drop zone, while Liverpool sit eighth, still searching for rhythm under Slot.

Analysis: Liverpool’s Defensive Woes Continue

Hugo Ekitike scored twice, but Liverpool were pegged back at Elland Road

With Salah benched for a third straight game, Liverpool once again squandered a winning position. Despite Ekitike’s spark, lapses at the back and questionable game management cost them dearly.

Liverpool have now conceded 10 goals from set-pieces this season – more than the entirety of 2024-25 – and only Nottingham Forest have a worse record in that department.

Leeds Resilience: Farke’s Fighters Deliver Again

Coming off a huge midweek win vs Chelsea, Daniel Farke’s men showed guts and fight, especially in the second half. The 3-5-2 formation may have looked sluggish early, but once sparked, Leeds’ midfield overwhelmed Liverpool and made their dominance at set-pieces count.

The draw caps a big week for Farke, whose job security looked under threat just days ago. Now, Leeds look ready to battle to stay up.

What’s Next?

• Liverpool face Inter Milan away in the Champions League on Tuesday (20:00 GMT) before hosting Brighton next Saturday.

• Leeds visit Brentford on Sunday, 14 December (16:30 GMT).