Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid: Arne Slot’s side inflict only second defeat in 15 games on Los Blancos
In the end, Trent Alexander-Arnold was only a very minor subplot to the story, brought on for Real Madrid in the 81st minute with Liverpool already 1-0 up, and then contributing little as Arne Slot’s side completed an excellent performance akin to their imperious best last season.
Alexander-Arnold’s mural was defaced hours before the game, and then on the pitch he was continuously booed, both when he warmed up and when he came on late in the second half. But the statement of the night was the top-class performance that started with Liverpool pressuring Madrid from the very first minute and then peppering their goal throughout the match.
Thibaut Courtois made two huge saves to deny Dominik Szoboszlai in the first half, before also foiling Alexis Mac Allister’s attempt and then tipping over from point-blank range after Virgil van Dijk had gone in to head Florian Wirtz’s corner.
Madrid had a precious moment of their own when Jude Bellingham wove dangerously through the Liverpool defence and fired off a low shot but Giorgi Mamardashvili saved with his legs. However, there was very little threat wrapped in white as Liverpool rose to every challenge.
Kylian Mbappe, who has been on the form of his life with 18 goals in 14 appearances this season, was muzzled in his 15th as Xabi Alonso’s side fed on scraps. Alexander-Arnold’s replacement on Liverpool’s defensive right, Conor Bradley, notably made himself one of the heroes of the night with a feisty performance that kept Vinicius Junior quiet and then later frustrated, the Brazilian collecting a yellow card for bringing down the defender.
Courtois saved easily from Szoboszlai’s second-half freekick but moments later he could do little when Mac Allister arrived to power through a header from the Hungarian’s delivery to send Anfield into raptures.
The goal was a deserved reward for an hour of hard work from the home side and as the game ran down it was clear that Madrid had no answer.
