Liverpool made things hard for themselves against Leeds United, with individual errors and wasteful finishing laying the foundations for the visitors to claim a shock victory at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp 's side had scored 10 goals in two home games against Leeds since the Yorkshire side returned to the top flight in 2020, but this time it was Jesse Marsch 's side who struck first. Rodrigo took advantage of a defensive mix-up to open the scoring inside five minutes, though a composed Mohamed Salah finish levelled things up on the quarter-hour mark.
After losing at Nottingham Forest in their last league game, the hosts were hoping a return to Anfield would bring a change in fortunes. The equaliser didn't shift things in their favour, though, and Leeds could have even restored their lead when Brenden Aaronson crashed an effort against the crossbar.
With an hour gone, Klopp decided to make his first changes with the introduction of Jordan Henderson and Curtis Jones. More chances followed, but few were big ones, and Leeds remained dangerous on the counter.
As Liverpool threw men forward, they were punished at the last. After surviving a scare when Patrick Bamford wasted a golden chance, the hosts had no answer as Bamford played in Summerville to silence Anfield.
Liverpool tried to come back again, but they ran out of time. Here are the winners and losers from a dramatic game.
Winners
Jesse Marsch
After watching his team drop into the bottom three, Jesse Marsch was aware of the pressure on him. He insisted there was a togetherness in his squad, though, and this performance was proof of that.
"I'm here doing what I can to help," Marsch said after Leeds lost to Fulham. "It's nothing against the fans, maybe I should go over to them next time no matter what, I need to say sorry to them. I know I'm supported by the club."
At other times this season, Leeds have been one bit of luck away from a different outcome. Their American boss may well feel things have now evened themselves out
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Andy Robertson
There have been moments this season when some have asked whether Liverpool would be better off with Kostas Tsimikas replacing Andy Robertson at left-back. While the Greek international's improvement is a factor, it also speaks to Robertson no longer consistency hitting his high standards.
Liverpool's equaliser, however, was the kind of thing we have come to expect from the former Hull City man. An instant cross from a position high on the left, positioned perfectly for Salah to find the net.
Robertson could have easily had a second assist before half-time, only for Thiago to head his delivery back across instead of going for goal himself. We didn't see the up-and-down runs for the full 90, and this wasn't a game for Liverpool to remember for many reasons, but this was still closer to a version of the defender that fans will have wanted to see.
Illan Meslier
Illan Meslier hasn't been faultless this season, but often it's about how he responds to his low moments. Liverpool's goal was certainly a low, with the young goalkeeper flapping at a cross in the build-up, but he more than made up for it.
The France under-21 international often does his best work coming off his line, and so it proved at Anfield. He twice denied Darwin Nunez after rushing from goal, while also denying Nunez and Roberto Firmino in more conventional fashion to keep his team in the game.
Meslier made nine saves in total to help Leeds taste victory in the league for the first time since August. He probably won't be thinking too much about that early slip-up now.
Losers
Joe Gomez
With Ibrahima Konate back on the Liverpool bench, Joe Gomez will have been looking to impress to ensure his place remains secure. Within five minutes, though, he produced the kind of mistake Liverpool really could have done without.
A blind pass across the face of your own box is something you're taught not to do in youth football, and Gomez's decision - coupled with Alisson's positioning - was a reminder of why. Leeds might not have scored had Virgil van Dijk been more alert than Rodrigo and mopped up, but instead it was a completely needless head-start for the visitors.
Virgil van Dijk
Gomez wasn't the only member of Liverpool's back-line to find things tough, After switching off for that first goal - though admittedly not as much as his centre-back partner - he wasn't close enough to Jack Harrison as the Leeds winger stung the palms of Alisson.
Van Dijk was adamant that he and his team-mates only had themselves to blame in the defeat at Nottingham Forest last time out. While he wasn't guilty of the same attacking mis-steps as at the City Ground, this performance was still below his high standards.
Harvey Elliott
There haven't been too many bright sparks for Liverpool this season, but Harvey Elliott's form has been one of them. This made it all the more frustrating to see him deliver a rather flat performance against Leeds.
When Curtis Jones came off the bench, he immediately provided some attacking impetus around the edge of the visitors' box. It only went to show how little of that was coming from the three men who started in the middle, with Mohamed Salah needing to do a lot of work himself to create from deep.
It will be interesting to see how Klopp approaches the midweek game against Napoli, with an outside chance of top spot in Liverpool's Champions League group. The important work will need to be done on the training ground, though, with next week's trip to Tottenham potentially putting even more pressure on the manager and his squad.
Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez's effort levels can't be knocked, but it wasn't his day for a variety of reasons. The Uruguayan scored his fourth goal in five games during the week, helping the Reds past Ajax, and his failure to score wasn't for want of trying.
His best chance came in the first half, only for the 23-year-old to want too many touches. That allowed Meslier to rush out and deny him, and a second-half effort was too close to the Frenchman.
Even when Nunez got things right, with a curling effort from the edge of the box, Meslier was equal to it. Sometimes things simply don't fall in your favour.
