Ao Tanaka’s stoppage-time volley sealed a thrilling 3–3 draw for Leeds United, completing a remarkable comeback against Liverpool after a chaotic second half at Elland Road.
Liverpool twice held a two-goal advantage and later retook the lead, yet still left West Yorkshire with only a point after Tanaka arrived at the back post deep into added time to ignite wild celebrations.
The result extends Leeds’ unbeaten run to three matches following a grim spell of nine defeats in 12, while Arne Slot’s Liverpool continue to falter despite moments of promise.
After a cagey, goalless first half, Hugo Ekitike burst the game open with two goals in quick succession shortly after the restart.
His first came after intercepting a disastrous pass from Joe Rodon, weaving past Ethan Ampadu and finishing confidently.
Moments later, he bundled in a second from close range - his first brace in a Liverpool shirt.
Instead of killing the game, Liverpool handed the hosts a route back.
Ibrahima Konaté clipped Wilfried Gnonto in the box, giving Leeds a lifeline.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the penalty and Elland Road suddenly roared back to life.
Liverpool’s defensive frailties resurfaced soon after when Anton Stach found space in the area and smashed in the equaliser with 15 minutes left.
Dominik Szoboszlai briefly restored Liverpool’s lead with a composed finish five minutes later, but a late Leeds corner proved costly for Slot’s side as Tanaka pounced to fire home the 96th-minute leveller.
For the third straight match, Mohamed Salah began on the bench as Slot opted for Szoboszlai to operate down the right in his 4-2-3-1 setup.
Liverpool controlled stretches of the first half but rarely troubled goalkeeper Lucas Perri, aside from Curtis Jones striking the post.
Despite Salah and Alexander Isak both being available, Slot delayed making attacking changes until late - an indication of Salah’s current dip in form before he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations next week.
Ekitike’s brace was a rare highlight in a season marked by inconsistency, but Liverpool’s inability to manage key moments resurfaced.
Conceding twice from defensive lapses and then again from a set-piece left them with only one point when three were in their grasp.
With just four wins in their last 15 matches, Liverpool’s issues run deeper than a misfiring star forward.
Twice leading late on, they simply should have closed out the victory.
Daniel Farke stuck with the 3-5-2 that toppled Chelsea midweek, but Leeds initially struggled to recreate Wednesday’s intensity.
For much of the match, they looked flat and second-best - until Konaté’s foul shifted momentum.
Calvert-Lewin’s penalty rekindled belief and, buoyed by the home crowd, Leeds pressed relentlessly.
Stach’s equaliser exposed Liverpool’s shaky marking once again, and even after falling behind for a third time, Leeds continued to push bodies forward.
Their persistence paid off when Liverpool, who have now conceded 10 goals from set-pieces this season (excluding penalties), failed to deal with another dead-ball situation, allowing Tanaka to smash in the decisive goal.
Given the pressure Farke faced after a run of six defeats in seven, this week could have been disastrous.
Instead, Leeds end it with four points from two tough fixtures and renewed belief in their survival fight.
The draw moves Leeds up to 16th, three points ahead of West Ham in the relegation zone - proof that Elland Road’s atmosphere and spirit may yet keep them in the Premier League.
