Ao Tanaka equalised six minutes into second-half stoppage time as Leeds United recovered from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to salvage a dramatic 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
Arne Slot's misfiring champions looked to have the match won on two occasions, only to let two points - and fifth place in the Premier League - slip through their grasp at a raucous Elland Road.
Hugo Ekitike scored twice in the first five minutes of the second half to put Liverpool in control, only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty and Anton Stach's finish to drag Leeds level.
Dominik Szoboszlai then restored the champions' lead in the 80th minute, but substitute Tanaka fired home from a tight angle to spark bedlam among the home fans.
This late blow leaves Liverpool eighth in the Premier League, two points off the top four, while Leeds climb one place to 16th and are three points clear of the relegation zone.
How the match unfolded
Liverpool were lacklustre for much of the first half but did go close to scoring on two occasions, with Curtis Jones' curler bouncing off the crossbar and Virgil van Dijk nodding over from Szoboszlai's free-kick.
They went ahead in the 48th minute, though, with Ekitike finishing in composed fashion after intercepting Joe Rodon's terrible pass.
Ekitike doubled up two minutes later. Conor Bradley dispossessed Gabriel Gudmundsson before firing in a low cross, with the Frenchman staying onside to bundle home.
But Leeds received a 73rd-minute lifeline when Ibrahima Konate recklessly scythed Wilfried Gnonto down near the byline. The spot-kick was awarded following a VAR review, and Calvert-Lewin converted confidently.
And the hosts were level in the 75th minute as Stach cut in from the left side of the area under little pressure before powering home.
Szoboszlai looked to have spared Liverpool's blushes when he finished across Lucas Perri, but there was one final twist to come as Stach's late corner squirmed through to Tanaka, who made no mistake.
Watch: Leeds 3-3 Liverpool highlights
Slot searching for answers after double capitulation
Though the more positive members of Liverpool's fanbase could view Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Sunderland as a point gained after falling behind, it was a case of two points lost on Saturday.
With Mohamed Salah benched for the third straight game, Liverpool lacked penetration in the first half, but they got a huge slice of luck when Rodon errantly passed across his own defence and let Ekitike in to score, and another when Gabriel Gudmundsson's giveaway made it a quickfire double for the striker.
But if Leeds' defence was in the mood for giving out early Christmas gifts, Liverpool's defence was even more generous.
Both Van Dijk and Konate have struggled this season, and the latter was arguably at fault for Leeds' first two goals.
He senselessly chopped Gnonto down when the Italian was heading down a cul-de-sac for the penalty, then backed off Stach and gave him the freedom of the box for the hosts' first equaliser.
It looked as though Szoboszlai was going to have the final say, but Liverpool defended a set-piece dreadfully in added time and were duly punished.
They have now won just two of their last 10 Premier League games, with a tough UEFA Champions League trip to Inter awaiting them on Tuesday. Brighton & Hove Albion then visit Anfield four days later.
Farke's changes make the difference again
Wednesday's 3-1 win over Chelsea was precisely the statement result that Daniel Farke needed after a run of four straight Premier League defeats left the Leeds boss under pressure.
Farke switched from his preferred 4-3-3 system to a 5-3-2 formation at half-time in their prior 3-2 defeat to Manchester City, and with the strapping strike duo of Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha both on target in the second half, he stuck with the same shape against Chelsea.
Leeds' direct approach paid dividends against the Blues, too, though a hamstring injury suffered by Nmecha ruled him out of this match.
But when Leeds found themselves two goals down here, Farke reverted to a four-man backline, introducing Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson and Tanaka in the 65th minute.
Each of the hosts' three goals involved one of the trio. Gnonto's run to the byline resulted in the penalty that brought the contest back to life, while Aaronson's clever reverse pass teed up Stach to make it 2-2. Tanaka then popped up with an opportunistic finish at the death, firing through a mass of bodies on the line.
Watch: Tanaka's goal v Liverpool
🤯 TANAKAAAAAAAA!!! pic.twitter.com/nEFUAho25S
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 6, 2025
Leeds' home form was always likely to be decisive in their battle to stay in the top flight, and a return of four points from two games against Chelsea and Liverpool should give them a major confidence boost.
They are on the road next week, facing Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Club reports
Leeds report | Liverpool report
What the managers said
Daniel Farke: "It was difficult today. Our third game in seven days against big names in European football. To get out of this week with these performances and this amount of points is great for the lads.
"You could feel against the ball, we had the energy. In possession we made a few mistakes and were running out of energy. We have to be over the line also physically when playing against a top side but also against whatever was thrown our way.
"We showed unbelievable resilience and experience and also the flexibility to adapt to different needs. It's just a point but the lads can take even more than just a point. It feels a bit like a win tonight."
Arne Slot: "To go away with a 3-3 draw, I don't think that's what we deserved. We conceded without the other team even having a chance. It's so difficult to play a game of football if you don't even concede a chance and it goes in. We can only look at ourselves because we are the ones that are doing it. That's the situation we are in."
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Key facts
Ao Tanaka’s equaliser for Leeds was the third result-altering goal Liverpool have conceded in the 90th minute or later of a Premier League game this season (also winners v Crystal Palace and Chelsea), their joint-most ever in a single campaign in the competition, along with 2010/11.
Only Nottingham Forest (11) have conceded more goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season (excluding penalties) than Liverpool (10). It’s more than the Reds shipped from set pieces in the whole of 2024/25 in the league (nine).
Hugo Ekitike was the first player to score twice in the opening five minutes of the second half of a Premier League game since Raheem Sterling did so for Manchester City against Watford in March 2019. It made him the first Liverpool player to score more than once in any match in any competition this season, with this being the Reds’ 23rd game of 2025/26.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has now scored in each of his last three home Premier League appearances against Liverpool, scoring for Everton in both October 2020 and April 2024 and for Leeds here.