Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid (Mac Allister 52′, Gakpo 76′)
ANFIELD — Now then, this was the sort of result to set hopes and expectations soaring out of control.
Critics trying to pick apart Liverpool‘s unexpected yet pragmatically phenomenal start under Arne Slot had clung to the straws of a supposedly easy fixture list.
And then they went unbeaten against Arsenal, home and away against Brighton, against Xabi Alonso’s Invincible Bayer Leverkusen side, Champions League contenders Aston Villa, and now Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, who turned up at Anfield packed to the brim full of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric and were sent away soundly beaten.
Remember when it was supposed to be hard replacing Jurgen Klopp? Remember the potentially painful season(s) ahead? Most managers take time to settle in, for their styles to seep into the pores of a club, for the players to fully understand their ideas. Even Pep Guardiola and Klopp.
And, let’s be honest, nobody thought Liverpool would be here at the end of November when this relatively little-known Dutch coach turned up to his interview with Feyenoord, AZ and Cambuur on his CV and was handed the keys.
Yet, again, against Real Madrid the gameplan was set up and executed exceptionally.
A needly, irritating type of game won by moments of quality and a fine Slot substitution.
Real Madrid are known for getting in teams’ faces under Ancelotti, and Liverpool decided to take it to them.
Darwin Nunez started creeping under Raul Asencio’s skin, the pair eventually ending up wrestling and grappling in the penalty area until the Liverpool striker went to ground holding his face. Both were shown yellow cards.
When Nunez later gave away a free-kick just outside Liverpool’s penalty area, tripping Eduardo Camavinga, he laughed at the midfielder and with a flop of the hand suggested his opponent flopped over too easily.
Bellingham, who had in the build-up claimed he was a “scapegoat” and underappreciated for his efforts in England’s run to the Euro 2024 final, was booed when he got on the ball by the home crowd. At one point, when the Anfield crowd was in collective uproar after he won a clever free kick, he allowed himself a little smile – clearly pleased with his efforts.
For all their many strengths Slot’s Liverpool play with a lot less throttle than under Klopp, but far more reserve and control. At times it was almost too much patience, too many passes, too much control, taking the bite not only out of Real Madrid but out of the occasion, too. And causing the stadium to fall, for persistent periods, flat.
It spoke volumes that the loudest cheer of the first half came not from a Liverpool attack – and they’d had a few decent chances – but Conor Bradley sprinting back and absolutely nailing, fairly, Mbappe, who was embarking on a dangerous break – a ferocious gunshot reverberating from the stands that focussed a few thousand minds and revived the flagging mood. (To be fair it was the defender’s equivalent of a 40-yard screamer.)
And Liverpool finally took a well-deserved lead 12 minutes into the second half – Alex Mac Allister finishing off a passing move across the edge of Madrid’s penalty box with a clever, measured low strike.
Both sides traded missed penalties – Mbappe’s saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mohamed Salah fired wide of the opposite goal.
So Slot, seeing the lie of the land, swapped Nunez for Cody Gakpo and the forward headed in the second less than 10 minutes later.
By then, it felt like the Liverpool manager was just showing off.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/KP1oUDt
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