Alexis Mac Allister heads Liverpool to impressive victory over Real Madrid
By Carl Markham, PA
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 £100million 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 £40million full-back Jeremie Frimpong.
Aside from Courtois’ defiance the game looked to have hinged on a first-half free-kick for a Aurelien Tchouameni handball which was actually inside the penalty area only for VAR to advise that it was not, in fact, a handball at all.
Liverpool responded by redoubling their efforts, which were rewarded when Mac Allister rose unmarked to head in Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick.
Alexander-Arnold’s name had been booed throughout but his arrival in the 81st minute produced a cacophy of jeers, which continued with every touch.
The singing of the name of Steven Gerrard, sat in the directors’ box, was a pointed dig for the former academy graduate who decided not to stay with his boyhood club.
Earlier in the day the England international’s mural on the side of a house in nearby Sybil Road had white paint thrown at it with the words ‘Not welcome’, ‘Rat’ and ‘Adios el rata’ daubed on it prompting a clean-up operation before kick-off.
But his return was merely a sideshow to the main event with his replacement in the right-back slot Conor Bradley, whose tackle on Kylian Mbappe in this fixture last year went viral, getting under the skin of Vinicius Junior so much the winger brought him down as he threatened to burst into the penalty area.
For all Real’s attacking resources it was familiar foe between the posts who played the key role in the first half.
Courtois, whose individual performance in the 2022 final ended Liverpool’s hopes of a seventh triumph, made two crucial saves from Szoboszlai – one brilliantly with his leg from point-blank range.
Aside from a half-hearted penalty shout for Andy Robertson’s challenge on Arda Guler Real threatened little until Giorgi Mamardashvili’s feet denied Jude Bellingham – becoming the youngest player to make 50 Champions League appearances aged 22 years 128 days.
Kylian Mbappe, who had scored in all but two of his 17 matches for club and country, ballooned his only attempt well over.
Early in the second half Courtois tipped over headers from Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike from successive corners with the Frenchmen nodding wide from the third.
The goalkeeper then batted away a Szoboszlai free-kick but was powerless to stop the 5ft 7in Mac Allister planting a powerful free header through his arms.
Mbappe sliced a shot wide as the visitors, now bolstered by Rodrygo, pushed for the equaliser but it was Courtois, saving from substitute Cody Gakpo, who continued to be the more active.
