Liverpool player ratings vs Leeds: Plenty of 5/10s underwhelm in drab draw

Liverpool began the New Year in disappointing fashion with a goalless draw at home to Leeds United on Thursday evening, in a match of very few chances at Anfield

Liverpool kicked off the New Year with a lacklustre performance, drawing 0-0 at home against Leeds United on Thursday evening. The closest the Reds came to scoring was when Florian Wirtz’s shot was blocked after being set up by Hugo Ekitike.

Despite the stalemate, Arne Slot’s team remains in the top four and have narrowed the gap with third-placed Aston Villa to just four points.

Here, the Daily Star Sport rates the performance of the Liverpool players.

Alisson Becker: He had a close call when a strange pass into midfield with the outside of his foot allowed Ampadu to take a weak shot, which the goalkeeper easily saved. Otherwise, he had little to do. 5.

Conor Bradley: Showed some promising signs in his partnership with Frimpong down the right before half-time. Started the second half well but faded. Substituted. 6.

Ibrahima Konate: Read the game well with some good interceptions in the first half and kept his distribution simple. 6.

Virgil van Dijk: His physical strength was tested in the first half by Nmecha, but he stood his ground and handled Calvert-Lewin well during the initial stages. 6.

Andy Robertson: Showed a few signs of rustiness early on, but his crosses from wide positions deserved better responses from his teammates. Substituted. 6.

Ryan Gravenberch: Had plenty of possession in the first half but struggled to pick the right pass. A similar story unfolded after the break when his attempted flicks didn’t quite work out in a crowded midfield. 6.

Curtis Jones: Strong in fending off opponents before the break and aimed to propel Liverpool forward, even if not every pass hit the mark. His second half performance was less effective and he seemed to struggle before being substituted. 5.

Jeremie Frimpong: His speed down the right flank and eagerness to reach the byline and cross impressed. Consistent quality was lacking. Brief stint at right-back was less convincing. Later subbed. 5.

Dominik Szoboszlai: He struggled to keep up with the pace of the game in the first half on his return, but improved afterwards. One of his shots forced a save from Perri. 6.

Florian Wirtz: Had one shot blocked and another opportunity went astray, but otherwise had a quiet first half and noticeably tired after the break. He was later substituted. 5.

Hugo Ekitike: Set up Wirtz for one attempt and tried unsuccessfully to divert a Frimpong cross. The second half proved more challenging and one of his shots went wide. 6.

Substitutes:

Milos Kerkez (for Robertson 66): Occasionally overly excited when in possession. 5.

Cody Gakpo (for Wirtz 66): Failed to make a significant impact going forward. 5.

Alexis Mac Allister (for Jones 66): Could have distributed the ball a bit quicker at times. 5.

Federico Chiesa (for Bradley 79). Injected energy down the right flank. 5.

Rio Ngumoha (for Frimpong 84). A rare appearance for the young player. Was bright. 6.