Liverpool achieved another famous victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring the only goal in a frenzied game. The 2022 World Cup winner headed home the winning goal just after the hour mark, riding on the end of a pass from the brilliant Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool put Madrid under pressure throughout the match, dominating the Spanish giants from start to finish. However, a series of incredible saves from Thibaut Courtois kept Real in the game. The Reds ultimately saw out victory, but Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by some fans upon his return to Anfield. And Express Sport is in control of Liverpool’s players.
Liverpool player rating vs Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
Giorgi Mamadashvili: 7
The spectators were present for much of the match, but were alert for danger as Real had their first shot on target just before the interval. I would like to thank the defense attorney for making it a relatively quiet night.
Connor Bradley: 9
He had the unenviable task of stopping Vinicius Junior, but was spoken to by the referee immediately after one foul. However, he rose to the challenge and put in one of Liverpool’s best performances in important situations. He moved forward well and sometimes helped the attack.
Ibrahima Konate: 7
Although they looked shaky at times against some of the best attackers in the world, they held their own as the Reds showed why Anfield is such a difficult place to visit.
Virgil van Dijk: 8
He used all of his experience to have a positive impact on the game. It’s not often that Real’s attacking line is stopped for the entire 90 minutes. The other side also almost scored the first goal.
Andy Robertson: 8
He was selected ahead of left-back Milos Kerkes and showed his quality as the Reds’ defense looked unified and solid. He still has plenty of energy and should be a regular starter.
Ryan Gravenbirch: 8
He was brought into Liverpool’s right wing and lent a hand to Conor Bradley against Vinicius Junior, helping to neutralize the Brazilian’s threat. As the match progressed, they gained the upper hand in the midfield battle.
Alexis Mac Allister: 7
Liverpool had a chance to take the lead in the 10th minute with Szoboszlai’s shot, but his shot went over the bar. Then, just before the interval, he had a shot on goal. He finally scored his first goal of the season, putting his team ahead.
Mohamed Salah: 6
After a slow start to the campaign, he found the back of the net at the weekend. However, against Real he struggled to find space and lacked creativity. He should have scored late, but he didn’t have the impact he had last season.
Dominik Szoboszlai: 10
He put on another great performance in a Liverpool shirt, taking control of the match from start to finish. They forced two great saves from Courtois before half-time, setting up Mac Allister’s goal. He created chances, worked his socks off and inspired his teammates. He should become a captain in the future.
Florian Wirtz: 8
He had plenty of energy when trying to make things happen in the final third. He has always been a threat and I think he will be successful at Anfield once he steps into the Premier League.
Hugo Ekitike: 9
In the absence of Alexander Isak, he once again started from the front. He was hit by Dean Huyssen just before the break and stopped by Courtois after the break. A great striker who held the ball well and became more of a threat as the match progressed. He will want to score a lot of goals throughout the season.
substitute
Curtis Jones: 6
He came on for Alexis Mac Allister in the closing stages as Liverpool looked to secure victory.
Kodi Gakpo: 6
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to start, but he only played 11 minutes. I almost added a second towards the end.
Federico Chiesa: 6
He was replaced by Florian Wirths with just minutes remaining.
Milos Kerkes: 6
He was introduced in place of Andy Robertson but will struggle to regain his starting spot.
