Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid: What Were The Key Talking Points As Arne Slot’s Men Lay Down Another Champions League Statement?

In what was a heavyweight Champions League showdown on Wednesday night, Liverpool collected a famous European scalp as they claimed a deserved 2-0 win against defending champions Real Madrid.

While Arne Slot’s men might have previously held a nightmare record against Los Blancos having failed to win any of their previous eight meetings, Liverpool put in a dominant display here and were a more than worthy winner at Anfield.

Dominating on either side of the half-time break, former Brighton ace Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring after 52 minutes thanks to a slick low finish past Thibaut Courtois.

In a game where the two superstars, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Real’s Kylian Mbappe, failed from the penalty spot, the Reds doubled their lead in the final 15 minutes as Dutch international Cody Gakpo headed home.

Laying down what was a sensational marker in midweek, Liverpool have now won each of their five Champions League appearances and are the only club that can boast a 100% record.

As for the defending champions, enduring what has suddenly become a public Champions League struggle, Los Blancos have lost each of their last three group stage appearances and they have come under plenty of recent scrutiny.

On a night when Slot’s side collected a heavyweight European scalp, we have taken a look at the main talking points from Anfield.

Liverpool are the leading European contender

While fans around Anfield might have been heartbroken over the summer following Jurgen Klopp’s departure, Liverpool have only embarked on a sensational rise since Slot’s arrival in the red half of Merseyside.

Marking their return from November’s international break with a second-half comeback away at Southampton as they left St. Mary’s with a 3-2 victory, Wednesday’s hosts hold a commanding eight-point buffer at the top of the Premier League table.

Firing on all cylinders since opening up the new campaign and with the mood around Anfield at a red-hot high, Liverpool have rightfully received a string of plaudits from across the globe.

Now winning each of their first five straight Champions League showdowns so far this season and the only club that can boast a 100% start to proceedings, the midweek hosts are suddenly pencilled in as a leading European contender.

Suffering just a single defeat across any competition since opening up the new campaign and also winning their last six straight matchups across all competitions, Liverpool are riding a famous wave of momentum.

The Reds at their clinical best

While Liverpool might have only conceded a single strike in their five Champions League appearances so far this season, the Reds have certainly gained a reputation for their free-scoring performances in the final third.

Mounting that sensational second-half comeback at St. Mary’s last weekend as they marked their return from November’s international break with a 3-2 victory against Southampton, Liverpool’s attack are the most in form across Europe.

Laying down another Champions League marker earlier in the month as they stormed their way to a 4-0 romp against Bayer Leverkusen, Slot’s side have recorded 12 goals in their five five European showdowns.

Heading into November’s international break with a 2-0 win against Aston Villa, Liverpool also hold the best-attacking tally in the Premier League so far this season.

Holding an eight-point buffer at the top of the Premier League table, the Reds will be looking to collect another heavyweight scalp this weekend when they welcome Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Another European nightmare for Los Blancos

Storming their way to a record-breaking 15th European crown last season as they completed a famous double-winning campaign, Real Madrid opened up the new campaign with plenty of expectations on their shoulders.

However, still sat four points adrift of arch-rivals Barcelona in this season’s La Liga title chase, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have continued to show some real inconsistencies this season and they have plenty of questions that still need answering.

Including an infamous 1-0 loss away at French outfit Lille last month, Real Madrid have lost each of their previous three groups stage appearances by an aggregate score of 6-1.

In fact, this is the first time in their illustrious history that the defending European champions have lost three group stage showdowns.

With England international Jude Bellingham admitting following Wednesday’s 2-0 loss at Anfield that Liverpool were simply the better side, Madrid remarkably now sit way down in 24th positions.

Match Report

Liverpool: Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez, Diaz

Subs: Gakpo, Gomez, Szoboszlai

Real Madrid: Courtois, Valverde, Raul, Rudiger, Mendy, Camavinga, Modric, Guler, Bellingham, Diaz, Mbappe

Subs: Ceballos, Endrick, Garcia, Vazquez

Goals: Mac Allister (52’), Gakpo (76’)

Yellow Cards: Liverpool: Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Nunez – Real Madrid: Raul, Mendy, Endrick, Ceballos

Red Cards: N/A

Referee: Francois Letexier