Liverpool vs Leeds United — Match Preview
New Year’s Day football returns to Anfield as Liverpool host Leeds United on Thursday, 1 January 2026.1 The Reds ended 2025 on a high, securing a gritty 2–1 win over Wolves to cement 4th place (32 points) and make it four wins in their last five league games. However, Arne Slot’s side is now navigating a crisis in attack with key stars missing. Leeds United, sitting 16th with 20 points, have shown remarkable resilience lately. Daniel Farke’s men are unbeaten in their last five matches, a run that includes a stunning 3–3 draw against Liverpool just weeks ago at Elland Road.2 They arrive on Merseyside aiming to exploit Liverpool’s depleted frontline and pull further away from the relegation zone.+1
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Match Info
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 19)
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool (Capacity: 61,276)
- Date: Thursday, 1 January 2026
- Kickoff: 17:30 GMT | 18:30 CET | 12:30 ET
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh (ENG)4
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Match Stakes
Liverpool (4th — 32 pts):
- Win → Moves to 35 pts; keeps pressure on Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race.
- Draw → Risks dropping out of the Top 4 if Tottenham or Aston Villa win; exposes squad depth issues.
- Loss → A nightmare start to 2026; ends the 4-game winning streak and dampens the mood at Anfield.
Leeds United (16th — 20 pts):
- Win → Moves to 23 pts; a massive statement that could lift them to mid-table safety.
- Draw → A superb point at Anfield; extends unbeaten run to 6 games.
- Loss → Likely drops them back into the relegation dogfight; ends their festive resilience.
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Team News
Liverpool:
- Mohamed Salah — Out (International Duty – AFCON).
- Alexander Isak — Out (Broken Leg – Huge Loss).
- Wataru Endo — Out (Ankle Injury).
- Stefan Bajcetic — Out (Hamstring Injury).
- Joe Gomez — Out (Injury).7
- Crisis Upfront: With Salah and Isak out, Darwin Núñez must lead the line, supported by Luis Díaz and Cody Gakpo.
Leeds United:
- Dan James — Out (Hamstring Injury).
- Joe Rodon — Out (Ankle Injury – Defensive Blow).
- Sean Longstaff — Out (Calf Injury).
- Caleb Scanlon — Out (Hamstring Injury).
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin — Available (Top Scorer with 8 goals; key threat).
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Liverpool
- 27/12 — 2–1 vs Wolves (Premier League)
- 20/12 — 2–1 vs Tottenham (Premier League)
- 13/12 — 2–0 vs Brighton (Premier League)
- 10/12 — 1–0 vs Inter (Champions League)
- 06/12 — 3–3 vs Leeds (Premier League)
Leeds United
- 28/12 — 1–1 vs Sunderland (Premier League)
- 21/12 — 4–1 vs Crystal Palace (Premier League)
- 14/12 — 1–1 vs Brentford (Premier League)
- 06/12 — 3–3 vs Liverpool (Premier League)
- 04/12 — 3–1 vs Chelsea (Premier League)
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 06/12/2025 — Leeds 3–3 Liverpool (Premier League)
- 18/04/2023 — Leeds 1–6 Liverpool (Premier League)
- 30/10/2022 — Liverpool 1–2 Leeds (Premier League)
- 24/02/2022 — Liverpool 6–0 Leeds (Premier League)
- 12/09/2021 — Leeds 0–3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Liverpool (4-3-3)
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Díaz, Núñez, Gakpo
Leeds United (4-2-3-1)
Meslier; Bogle, Struijk, Wöber, Firpo; Ampadu, Tanaka; Gnonto, Aaronson, Ramazani; Calvert-Lewin
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Impact Bench
Liverpool: Jota (Goal poacher), Elliott (Creative spark), Quansah (Defense)
Leeds United: Piroe (Finisher), Solomon (Dribbling), Rothwell (Energy)
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Tactical Analysis
Liverpool
Arne Slot faces his biggest test yet. Without the pace of Isak and the magic of Salah, Liverpool lose their two biggest goal threats. They will rely heavily on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creativity from deep and Darwin Núñez’s chaos in the box. Liverpool must move the ball quickly to unsettle a Leeds defense missing Joe Rodon, but they must be wary of overcommitting, as Leeds scored 3 against them just weeks ago on the counter.
Leeds United
Daniel Farke has found a formula that works. Leeds are aggressive in the press and lethal in transition. Dominic Calvert-Lewin provides a focal point they lacked in previous years, allowing Gnonto and Aaronson to run off him. At Anfield, expect Leeds to sit deeper than usual, absorb pressure, and look to isolate Liverpool’s full-backs 1v1 on the break.
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Key Battles
- Núñez vs Struijk — Chaos vs Composure; a physical battle in the box.
- Alexander-Arnold vs Gnonto — Trent must defend as well as attack against the tricky Italian.
- Mac Allister vs Aaronson — Battle for space in the #10 zone.
- Alisson vs Calvert-Lewin — Liverpool’s keeper needs to dominate aerial balls.
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Spotlight Players
Liverpool — Darwin Núñez
With Isak and Salah out, the Uruguayan is the main man. He needs to convert his chances. If he frustrates, the Anfield crowd could get anxious.
Leeds United — Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The summer signing has been a revelation, scoring 8 goals. His physical presence will be vital to relieve pressure and hold up the ball for Leeds.
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Prediction
Liverpool 2–1 Leeds United
This will be tighter than the odds suggest. Leeds are in great form and scored three against this defense recently. However, Anfield on New Year’s Day is a fortress. Even without Salah and Isak, Liverpool should have just enough midfield quality to edge a contest that could be decided by a set-piece or a moment of individual brilliance from Luis Díaz.
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Betting Insights
- Both Teams to Score — YES (High value given recent 3-3 draw).
- Liverpool to Win — Likely but risky.
- Over 2.5 Goals — Very Likely (Both teams attack fluidly).
Liverpool vs Leeds United — Where to Watch
- UK: Sky Sports Main Event / Premier League
- USA: USA Network / NBC Sports
- International: Peacock, Optus Sport (Aus), FuboTV (Canada)
Liverpool vs Leeds United — FAQs
Q: When is the Liverpool vs Leeds match?
A: The match kicks off on Thursday, 1 January 2026, at 17:30 GMT.
Q: Is Mo Salah playing?
A: No. He is away on international duty (AFCON).
Q: Is Alexander Isak injured?
A: Yes, Liverpool’s record signing is out with a broken leg.
Q: What was the score in the last match?
A: They drew 3–3 on December 6, 2025.15
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