Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid (Robertson 4′, Salah 6′, Van Dijk 90+2 | Llorente 45+3, 81 )
“Conspicuous consumption” was how the economist Thorstein Veblen termed it. Arne Slot was never likely to attract much sympathy for the headaches induced by splashing £450m on his squad this summer.
Yet as Anfield erupted to the sound of Virgil van Dijk’s headed injury-time winner that overcame Atletico Madrid, the Liverpool boss must have breathed in a moment of quiet satisfaction. It looked for all the world like his side had squandered a two-goal lead; by the end of the night, he seemed that much closer to working out the XI that can make his side champions again.
As soon as Alexander Isak’s name appeared on the teamsheet, the tactical gymnastics facing Slot came into force. In the early weeks of the season, it had sometimes been mooted that Mo Salah would have to be dropped to accommodate Isak, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike.
Within four minutes against Atletico, Salah made a mockery of the idea. Andy Robertson was credited with the goal, but it was the Egyptian’s low driving free-kick that carved open the defence. Minutes later, he had done it again.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK STEPS UP IN INJURY TIME
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Another late goal from Liverpool surely wins it against Atlético Madrid!
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Two fine touches from Ryan Gravenberch set Salah away inside the box, his finish past Jan Oblak – marking his 500th appearance for Diego Simeone’s side – putting Liverpool in the kind of control we had not seen yet this term.
Gravenberch is absolutely central to that; this was another world-class display from one of the most complete midfielders on the planet.
The hallmark remains leaving it late. Every one of their four league wins have been clinched in the final 10 minutes. But here, the intensity that catapulted them to the title in April was back on show. There were glimpses of quality from Isak albeit he did not look match sharp, but as the most expensive signing in British history he is inevitably going to lead the line.
If Slot has been looking for a simple solution to his Swede-shaped dilemma, he may have found it in an unfortunate passage of play involving Gakpo. Even a not-yet-fit unfit Isak had raced into acres of space, ready to seize upon the winger’s run – only for Gakpo to keep his head down and miss his teammate entirely before running into a cluster of bodies.
The showdown really is Gakpo vs Ekitike. Slot has been reluctant to view it that way, hinting he does not see the latter as a winger – but bring in Ekitike and this is Liverpool’s strongest line-up:
The timing of Salah’s early blitz felt like no coincidence too.
Whenever the 33-year-old is written off, he seems to pen a new milestone.
The last-ditch spot-kick against Burnley on Sunday was his 188th Premier League strike and took him past Andy Cole into fourth place in the all-time goalscoring list.
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His goal last night elevated him into even more impressive company – with 48 in the Champions League, he reached the same tally as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andriy Shevchenko, and in considerably fewer games than either of them.
Before the hour mark, there was a shift in approach as Isak made way for Ekitike and Conor Bradley replaced Jeremie Frimpong, who was unfortunate not to stay on.
Slot must have seen enough, while Simeone was sent off in a fury near full-time. Liverpool are quickly rediscovering their magic formula – when Isak is fitter, it may only get more potent.
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