LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool maintained their good begin to the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 win in opposition to Actual Madrid on Wednesday that leaves the reigning European champions in peril of lacking out qualification for the knockout phases.
Second-half targets from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo at Anfield sealed Liverpool’s fifth successive Champions League victory and moved Arne Slot’s workforce two factors clear on the prime of the desk. It was the Reds’ first win in opposition to Los Blancos within the Champions League since March 3, 2009, ending an eight-game winless streak in opposition to the Spanish capital membership (a span that included seven losses).
However Actual, who received the Champions League for a report fifteenth time in opposition to Borussia Dortmund at Wembley final season, have now misplaced three of 5 video games up to now and sit in twenty fourth place — the ultimate qualification spot for February’s playoff stage.
Kylian Mbappé had the prospect to equalise for Madrid when he had a penalty saved by Liverpool keeper CaoimhÃn Kelleher whereas the scoreline was 1-0 to the house aspect. The penalty drama additionally affected Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah sending his spot kick extensive on 70 minutes.
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
Actual now face a troublesome journey to UEFA Europa League champions Atalanta on Matchday 6 subsequent month as they try and kick-start their hopes of qualifying for the following stage of the competitors. — Mark Ogden
Mbappé and Salah each miss; Mbappé’s is expensive
No one could have been extra happy to see Salah skew his second-half penalty extensive at Anfield than Mbappé, having seen his personal spot kick saved 9 minutes earlier. Salah’s miss took no less than a few of the highlight off Mbappé after a really disastrous night for the Madrid ahead.
This was the France worldwide’s greatest alternative but to impress in a Madrid shirt, after a shaky begin to life on the Bernabeú. As a substitute, it was his season up to now in microcosm. In 90 minutes, Mbappé had solely two photographs, one on the right track, and that was the penalty. He tried simply 22 passes — solely Ferland Mendy had fewer — finishing 16.
Scoring the penalty might have modified his evening, and would have had Madrid proper again within the sport at 1-1. As a substitute, Mbappé fluffed his traces. His efficiency can be scrutinised within the Madrid media on Thursday, and the followers’ persistence will not final endlessly.
Salah’s miss was less expensive — even when it was a worse effort — and is likely to be forgotten quickly sufficient given Liverpool’s win. But it surely wasn’t what he wanted, both, within the week he admitted he is “extra out than in” at Anfield, having not acquired a brand new contract provide.
Salah is a Liverpool legend, although, and his workforce is flying domestically and in Europe. Mbappé is simply beginning out at Madrid, and with three defeats out of 5, their Champions League marketing campaign is already spiraling uncontrolled. — Alex Kirkland
Kelleher lives as much as Klopp-given nickname
If Kelleher’s Liverpool profession thus far might be summed up by a single second, then his very good penalty save to disclaim Mbappé is likely to be it.
A bystander for a lot of the night in opposition to Madrid, the person Jürgen Klopp as soon as dubbed the “finest No. 2 on the planet” lived as much as his title as soon as once more, turning into the primary goalkeeper to disclaim the Frenchman from the spot within the Champions League and laying the foundations for Liverpool to safe a well-known win in opposition to their European nemesis.
In reality, Kelleher can not be dubbed a “No. 2.” He has featured extra for Liverpool than Alisson Becker in 2024, owing to the Brazilian’s ongoing struggles with a hamstring downside.
As soon as once more on Wednesday evening, he did not let Slot’s aspect down, making a handful of late saves to protect the hosts’ clear sheet. Whereas the approaching arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia certainly means Kelleher’s long-term future lies away from Anfield, his enduring brilliance in Alisson’s absence signifies that if, or when, he departs he’ll accomplish that as a cult hero. — Beth Lindop
STREAM ESPN FC DAILY ON ESPN+
Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to carry you the newest highlights and debate the largest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. solely).
Bradley offers Alexander-Arnold a glance into the longer term
Trent Alexander-Arnold may need had an uncomfortable glimpse into the longer term whereas sitting on the Liverpool substitutes’ bench as his teammates defeated Actual Madrid.
On the one hand, the Liverpool full-back could have seen Conor Bradley produce a surprising efficiency at right-back and present that he’s greater than able to protecting Alexander-Arnold out of the workforce now that he’s absolutely match. And with countless hypothesis linking Alexander-Arnold with a free agent transfer to Actual subsequent summer time if he fails to signal a brand new deal at Anfield, the 26-year-old may simply have realized that the La Liga giants are a workforce in decline solely six months after successful the Champions League and {that a} transfer to the Santiago Bernabeú may not be the dream it as soon as appeared.
However this evening was actually all about Bradley, the spectacular 21-year-old who was excellent in opposition to Actual.
The Northern Eire worldwide set the tone with a crunching sort out on Mbappé within the first half that introduced an enormous cheer from The Kop. Bradley went on to supply a rock-solid efficiency at full-back, in addition to providing a risk going ahead.
Bradley was denied a aim solely when Thibaut Courtois produced a world-class save to maintain out his second-half header from shut vary.
If Liverpool are anxious about shedding Alexander-Arnold, they actually should not be. — Ogden
Bellingham feels Anfield’s wrath
Jude Bellingham delivered an outspoken information convention forward of this sport when he spoke of being singled out as a “scapegoat” after England’s failure to win Euro 2024. He additionally dismissed hypothesis that he virtually joined Liverpool earlier than signing with Actual Madrid in 2023 as a result of Actual had been on a “totally different stage.”
Bellingham’s feedback about Liverpool led to him being booed by the Anfield crowd at any time when he touched the ball. It appeared to have an effect on his efficiency as a result of the 21-year-old was poor in opposition to Slot’s aspect.
Liverpool midfielders Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch dominated Bellingham, each in bodily challenges and with the ball, and he spent the vast majority of the sport struggling to make an impression.
In Bellingham’s defence, he was enjoying in a deeper function than he usually enjoys. Carlo Ancelotti deployed him on the left of midfield behind a entrance three of Mbappé, Brahim DÃaz and Arda Güler.
Simply as with England at Euro 2024, although, when the sport passes Bellingham by, he affords little and his frustration turns into evident. This sport was one other instance, and it could not have been extra badly timed contemplating Bellingham had complained about his remedy after the Euros.
When a participant talks about being misjudged or harshly handled, one of the simplest ways to show some extent is often by doing it on the pitch. At Anfield, he ended up being outshone by two of the gamers Liverpool recruited after pulling out of the race to signal him 18 months in the past. — Ogden
