Liverpool boss Arne Slot rues missed penalty moment in Leeds stalemate

By SABC Sport
2nd January 2026

Arne Slot has admitted Liverpool may have missed a key moment after Hugo Ekitike stayed on his feet instead of going down under pressure, as Leeds held the Reds to a 0-0 draw at Anfield.

The Liverpool head coach pointed to a first-half incident involving Ekitike and Leeds defender Pascal Struijk, where the striker battled to keep possession despite heavy contact. Slot felt that had Ekitike gone to ground, a penalty would likely have been awarded.

Asked about the incident, Slot said: "No, it was not a penalty because he stayed on his feet. If he had fallen down it would probably have been a penalty. But this season, many times when we were fouled, we did not get a penalty."

The draw was Liverpool's first goalless game since December 2023, which came in Jurgen Klopp's final season, and the first under Slot in what was his 84th match in charge. Despite dominating possession, Liverpool were unable to break down a disciplined Leeds defence.

Slot added: "This season we have conceded a few soft penalties. Away at Brentford with Cody Gakpo, the referee said play on. So our players try to stay on their feet, and then it is hard for VAR to interfere."

He continued: "I think we have only had one penalty this season. For a team with the most ball possession, that is surprising. But I would never encourage players to go down. We are just who we are. We stay on our feet."

Slot accepted his side lacked the cutting edge needed against a deep defensive block. "Ball possession means not a lot if you cannot create enough chances," he said. "Against a low block you need pace, individual moments, or counter-attacks. We kept trying, but it was not easy."

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke praised his team's effort after securing their first clean sheet since August. "We needed a special performance to come away with a point," he said. "We had to suffer at times, but we did not allow clear-cut chances. We deserved the clean sheet."

The only disappointment for Leeds was a yellow card for captain Ethan Ampadu, which rules him out of Sunday's home match against Manchester United. "I am still struggling to accept that," Farke admitted.