Arne Slot’s Liverpool reboot has its latest dividend. His team continue to boast the only 100% record in the Champions League group stage and this was not just another victory, it was a swatting aside of the holders, a statement of intent.
Real Madrid have hurt Liverpool more than any other opponent in Europe. In four of the previous seven seasons, they have ended their hopes – most agonisingly in the finals of 2018 and 2022.
This was a night when Liverpool asserted themselves and banished a few demons in the process, star turns everywhere but especially from Conor Bradley at right-back. He was up against Kylian Mbappé and not only barely gave him a kick, he found the time to get forward in the second half, teeing up Alexis Mac Allister for the opening goal. Bradley was given a tremendous ovation when he was forced off towards the end, having felt something in the back of his leg.
Madrid were a pale imitation of their best selves, Mbappé not the only player to go missing in action. He was the most high-profile, mainly because he saw a penalty that would have given his team a lifeline out of nowhere at 1-0 saved by Caoimhín Kelleher. It was remarkable to see how little Mbappé could get going; the sloppiness, the turnovers. Where was the magic?
Mohamed Salah missed a penalty at the other end for Liverpool shortly afterwards but there was no danger of him and his teammates living to regret that. The die was cast. After Mbappé’s miss, there was no prospect of a characteristically outlandish Madrid comeback.
Salah won the penalty himself after sprinting at Ferland Mendy and tying him in a knot. There were gasps when he blasted the kick wide. Liverpool, though, shook their heads clear. Andy Robertson had conceded the penalty when he overcommitted and lunged at the Madrid substitute Lucas Vázquez. But the left-back made amends when he worked a short corner with the outstanding Curtis Jones before crossing for the substitute Cody Gakpo, who was unmarked. When Gakpo rose for the header, it was a fait accompli.
Liverpool march on to Sunday’s Premier League showdown here against Manchester City, looking to stretch their lead at the top of the table. It currently stands at eight points; 11 and it could be game over. Madrid, on the other hand, lag in 24th in the new-look Champions League long-list, with three defeats out of five. Their next game is not easy – away to Atalanta.
When Madrid were last at Anfield, in the first leg of the last 16 two seasons ago, Vinícius Junior scored twice to inspire a 5-2 win. He did not travel on this occasion – one of a handful of injured Madrid players – and he was a big miss.
No Vinícius meant Mbappé on the left – a rare treat for him – but nothing went right, the tone set on his first involvement when he postured, dallied and had his pocket picked by Salah, who set Darwin Núñez away. Thibaut Courtois would push out Núñez’s shot but it came off Raúl Asencio to trickle towards goal. Asencio stretched back to hack off the line. Mbappé was booed by the home crowd; ditto Jude Bellingham, who struggled on the left of the midfield three.
Liverpool brought the fire in the physical duels, Virgil van Dijk stepping up to leave something on Mbappé in the 17th minute and gesturing for him to get off the floor. Ryan Gravenberch was given a yellow card for questioning the free-kick decision. Earlier, Núñez had clashed with Asencio. Both were booked.
It was Bradley who put down the most obvious marker of the first half, drawing a guttural roar from the Liverpool support. Arda Güler had ushered Mbappé up the inside left but across came Bradley to clean him out with the perfect slide tackle.
Liverpool had all of the chances before the interval, with Courtois called upon to make a big save on 23 minutes when Mendy got a foot in on Jones and the ball broke towards Núñez. The goalkeeper is a hulking presence. He made himself even bigger at close quarters to block.
Luis Díaz had snatched at two early shooting opportunities. Towards the end of the first period, Mac Allister dinked balls over the top for first Núñez and then Díaz. On the first one, Núñez’s header rolled inches wide of the far post.
Would Liverpool rue the inability to make their first-half ascendency count? The fear seemed to float away when Mac Allister scored and it had been coming, Slot’s team utterly dominant after the restart. Perhaps their hard running before the break had worn Madrid down.
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What was most noticeable after the restart was how Bradley pushed high into an inside forward position. He had a golden chance for 1-0 when he ghosted on to a free header only for Courtois to plunge to his right and save. It was quickly forgotten when Bradley passed to Mac Allister and, after taking a touch, he wrapped a low shot back into the far corner. Jones had fun on the ball, his balance so easy on the eye and Mac Allister almost scored again, whipping a shot just off target.
The Madrid penalty was grievously against the run of play; Mbappé’s failure in keeping with his evening. Salah’s miss was more shocking. Liverpool absorbed it.
