Liverpool have received a fresh referee assessment regarding the disputed penalty incident involving Hugo Ekitike during their stalemate with Leeds United.

The Reds maintained their unbeaten streak at eight matches but were frustrated to a second stalemate against Daniel Farke's outfit on Thursday night, following December's thrilling 3-3 encounter at Elland Road. On this occasion, there was far less excitement, with a rather disjointed performance that did little to suggest the team have moved beyond the struggles that affected them earlier in the campaign.

Nevertheless, one particular moment in the opening period at Anfield drew significant attention, as Arne Slot's men were refused a penalty despite what appeared to be a clear foul on Ekitike inside the area. The French striker was tugged by Leeds defender Jaka Bijol but managed to stay upright, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to dismiss appeals for a spot kick, reports the Liverpool Echo.

• Liverpool's Harvey Elliott offered shock solution to transfer dilemma amid Aston Villa woes

• Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal handed transfer verdicts as January window demands made

During Sky Sports' Ref Watch programme on Friday, ex-official Dermot Gallagher delivered his assessment of the incident and maintained Liverpool ought to have been granted a penalty. He acknowledged the outcome might have differed had Ekitike collapsed to the turf.

"I watched this live and looked at it and thought, 'this is exactly why players go down,' because in my view, if Ekitike goes down, i think not only a penalty, but Bijol is sent off because he has grabbed him and grabbed him and grabbed him," Gallagher explained.

"But he stays on his feet and gets a shot away and that makes it a much more difficult decision for the referee, but if he hits the ground, the whole landscape changes."

Joining Gallagher on Ref Watch was ex-footballer Jay Bothroyd, who concurred with the view that Ekitike had essentially been punished for his honesty. "I completely agree," chimed in the former professional.

"You do not get rewarded for honesty and that is the problem, and because players are not getting rewarded, like Ekitike there, who is trying to be strong and stay on his feet, I would be telling him, 'If that happens again, fall on the floor and go down,' as that way you are asking the officials to make a decision.

"And everyone knows it is a foul, they got away with it and it would have been a red card as he stopped a goalscoring opportunity."

The stalemate against Leeds ensures Liverpool maintain their position in the top four, with closest rivals Chelsea also drawing against Bournemouth earlier in the week. However, there's a palpable sense of a squandered chance for the Reds to bolster their bid for Champions League football.

This feeling is amplified by the fact that they now face a challenging series of Premier League matches. This Sunday, they're off to Fulham, a team that has historically given Liverpool a tough time.

Next week, they're off to face Premier League leaders Arsenal, who recently thrashed title contenders Aston Villa 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Slot's lads may have just scraped past the Gunners at Anfield earlier in the season, but that was before their form took a serious nosedive.