Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header capped a dominant performance as Liverpool ended Real Madrid’s 100 per cent Champions League record with a 1-0 victory to inflict more pain on the the returning Trent Alexander-Arnold.
On a night when £100 million signing Florian Wirtz finally flourished, it was the diminutive Argentina international who finally broke goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ almost one-man resistance in the 61st minute.
Back-to-back victories for the first time since late September moved Liverpool into sixth place in the table and set them up perfectly for Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.
Saturday’s win over Aston Villa may have been hailed as significant after a run of six defeats in seven matches but this was the real deal in terms of performance and attitude.
Liverpool beat a depleted Real 2-0 at Anfield a year ago but former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso’s side were virtually at full-strength and being dominated by a team missing British record signing Alexander Isak, first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and £40 million full-back Jeremie Frimpong.
Aside from Courtois’ defiance the game looked to have hinged on a first-half free kick for a Aurélien Tchouaméni handball which was actually inside the penalty area only for VAR to advise that it was not, in fact, a handball at all.
