LIVERPOOL VS. LEEDS UNITED
| Thursday, January 1st |
Premier League | Anfield
5:30PM GMT/12:30PM EST
While Liverpool won a Premier League title in 2025, it’s probably fair to say that outside of that moment it wasn’t a great calendar
year for the Reds given it was won on the strength of a stellar first half of last season and results rather fell off in the new year and then just got worse when the new season kicked off. Add in tragedy off the pitch over the summer and a falling out between the manager and one of the club’s all time greats as 2025 ticked into its final month and, well, 2025 mostly wasn’t great.
December saw a relative uptick in form and fortune, though, and so the Reds head into January and 2026 with injury issues but feeling at least a little bit hopeful in spite of that. A strong start to the new year and a victory over Leeds would certainly help on that front—and it would mean ending the first half of the season somehow solidly in fourth place, five points ahead of chasers Chelsea in fifth.
Given how things had been going up until just about four weeks ago, well, that’d really be something.
Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Alisson; Bradley, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Mac Allister; Ekitike
Cody Gakpo’s recent return from injury is the one question mark looming over the side and it’s easy to imagine him coming back into the starting eleven at the expense of one of the midfielders, but with Curtis Jones starting the last four games and impressing it might be a good time for Slot to stick with the system—and personnel—he’s relied on in recent weeks to helped to stabilize the season.
Outside of that, injury issues and absences in defence and attack largely select the team. As for opponents Leeds, Daniel Farke’s side is still just 16th in the table but they have been in good form following their 3-3 draw with the Reds in December, rising above the thick of the relegation fray with two wins and three draws in their last five outings. Now six points clear of the drop, that recent run has included victories over Chelsea and Crystal Palace. All of which is to say it would be foolish to expect an easy game for a Liverpool side we’re still not feeling 100% sure about.
The Managers Have Their Say
Arne Slot: “I don’t want another day like [the 3-3 draw] but it’s part of football, we have highs and lows. What I mainly took from it is that we struggled a lot when they went to a back four, and that’s also when they scored their goals.”
Other Manager: “Going to Anfield on New Year’s Day is one of the most difficult and challenging tasks. We have the utmost respect for them and are fully aware of their strengths, but we fear nothing. We know if we put on a great performance we have a chance.”
The Officials
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh Assistants: Dan Cook & Blake Antrobus Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor VAR: Darren England
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