Man City boss Guardiola and Liverpool coach Slot frustrated by drab goalless draws against Sunderland and Leeds respectively in opening fixtures of 2026
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is tackled by Sunderland’s Omar Alderete in the English Premier League on Thursday; Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike tries to fend off Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach in an English Premier League encounter on Thursday. Pics/Getty Images
Title-chasing Manchester City and defending champions Liverpool drew blanks in their first English Premier League matches of 2026, with both sides held to goalless draws in their respective games, leaving managers Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot singing from the same hymn sheet about their team’s lacklustre finishing.
Guardiola’s City delivered a spluttering display against Sunderland, featuring several squandered chances. Savinho and Josko Gvardiol were especially culpable, with costly second-half misses. Second-placed City are now four points behind leaders Arsenal, when a win would have closed the gap to two points at the halfway point of the league.
Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola
“The amount of chances we missed in the six-yard box, not difficult ones, we could not convert. We created enough chances. The two chances from Savinho in the second-half, Jeremy (Doku), Josko (Gvardiol), Phil (Foden) and Erling (Haaland); we had a lot but unfortunately we could not do it,” lamented the Spanish coach.
Meanwhile, Liverpool found no way past Leeds United despite bossing possession. Slot’s side enjoyed nearly 70 per cent control of the ball at Anfield, but missed the presence of Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak.
“Ball possession does not mean a lot if you cannot create enough chances. To create chances against the low block, you need pace and individual special moments to create an overload. Not for the first time this season, we saw a team that wanted it, trying (hard) but it was hard for us to find the opening,” rued the Dutch boss.
A point edges fourth-placed Liverpool three points clear of Chelsea and Manchester United in the battle for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
In similar vein to that of City and Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur were also held to a goalless draw by Brentford in a match that saw Spurs fans boo coach Thomas Frank.
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