Overview
- Alexis Mac Allister scored the decisive second-half goal with a close-range header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick.
- Conor Bradley contained Vinícius Júnior throughout and drew Arne Slot’s “outstanding” verdict after a second straight 90-minute clean sheet.
- Thibaut Courtois produced a series of saves, notably denying Szoboszlai multiple times and reacting to Virgil van Dijk’s header, to keep the margin narrow.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold was loudly booed on his Anfield return as a late substitute before receiving a consoling post-match embrace from Slot, who called him “a special human being.”
- Liverpool strengthened their position in the Champions League league phase, with reports placing them level with Real Madrid on nine points after a performance framed as a timely upturn in form.