Liverpool snapped their poor run of form with a commanding display to hand Real Madrid their first defeat of the Champions League campaign, securing a 1-0 victory at Anfield on Tuesday night.
Alexis Mac Allister scored the decisive goal with a second-half header, while Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a string of stunning saves to keep the score respectable.
The win, which drew loud cheers from the home crowd, marked a potential turning point in Liverpool’s season after a difficult spell in which they had lost six of their last eight matches across all competitions.
Both teams now sit level on nine points after four games in the league phase.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot made just one change from the side that beat Aston Villa at the weekend, bringing in Florian Wirtz for Cody Gakpo. The tweak worked well, as Liverpool looked more like the dominant team that once stormed to the Premier League title.
Madrid, managed by former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, came into the game with just two defeats in 20 matches. But they relied heavily on Courtois to prevent a repeat of their 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid earlier in the season.
The Belgian shot-stopper—who famously denied Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final—was once again Madrid’s best performer, keeping out close-range efforts from Dominik Szoboszlai and headers from Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike.
However, he was finally beaten on the hour mark when Mac Allister powered home Szoboszlai’s free-kick, sending Anfield into raptures.
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his long-awaited return from injury to a hostile reception nine minutes from time, following the vandalism of his mural near the stadium earlier in the day.
Madrid’s main attacking threat, Kylian Mbappe, failed to find the net for only the third time in 18 appearances this season, missing the visitors’ best chance late in the game. Vinicius Junior was also kept quiet by young right-back Conor Bradley.
Courtois denied Gakpo in stoppage time to keep Madrid in contention, but Liverpool’s defence held firm for their first Champions League clean sheet of the season.
What you should know
Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool’s Argentine midfielder, has been pivotal under manager Arne Slot’s system.
His winning header against Madrid not only sealed Liverpool’s first Champions League clean sheet but also reaffirmed his growing influence as one of the team’s key performers this season.
