Liverpool secured a big and thoroughly deserved win over Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek. The Reds have been under huge pressure recently after losing four Premier League games in a row, with further defeats against Galatasaray in the Champions League and Crystal Palace in the League Cup only making matters worse.
They bounced back from their 3-0 loss at Anfield to the Eagles with a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa in the league. That was one of their most assured performances of the campaign and in a season in which they have been so poor at the back, it provided a much-needed clean sheet. They gave up just three shots on target and no “big chances”, a marked improvement on recent weeks.
Fans knew that Real would provide a much sterner test, though. Equally, they knew that one good result did not mean their team was “back”, having learnt that lesson when a 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt was followed by a 3-2 defeat at Brentford. As such, victory over Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and co was huge, and Liverpool fans will be hoping their club has now turned a corner.
Mac Allister Strike Secures Massive Win
2024 ➡️ 2025
Back-to-back #UCL Player of the Match awards for Macca against Real Madrid 🏆 pic.twitter.com/gABQtTMOQo
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 5, 2025
Liverpool’s dominance of this game was well illustrated by the xG. The Reds boasted 2.51, thanks to 17 shots, nine of which found the target. In contrast, Real, despite a red-hot Mbappé, posted an xG of just 0.45. They found the target just twice, and although their French superstar mustered three shots, he did not trouble the goalkeeper even once.
Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal of the game, netting after 61 minutes following a fine free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai. The Argentine is surprisingly good in the air and Thibaut Courtois, who had made a number of good saves up to that point, had no chance.
From there on, the hosts controlled the game for the most part, with Xabi Alonso, a former player for both sides, unable to rally his troops. Real were poor in the second period and managed just three shots, none on target. The home side should have won the game more easily but in the end they will be very happy to have taken the points. The win leaves them tied with Madrid on nine points from their first four games and the visitors can have no complaints about the result on a night when all of their star men were made to look rather ordinary.
Slot Has Made Changes
It was obvious to many that Liverpool had a lot of problems and the manager has gone some way to fixing those. Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley have started both of the recent wins and have made Liverpool look far better defensively. Many supporters will hope not to see Szoboszlai used at full-back ever again, and, restored to his more natural position as an attacking midfielder, he has been superb.
Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister have also started both games and give Liverpool’s midfield a much more solid look. They look more balanced, whereas at times this season it seems like Slot has been playing something not far off a 2-1-7 formation. Liverpool’s forwards have enough ability to create chances without the need for two highly attacking full backs and nobody holding in midfield and Slot seems to be slowly figuring out the best way to use his players.
What this will mean when Alexander Isak is fit, and where Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez will fit in, remains to be seen. However, for now at least, it looks like the Reds are a little more like themselves. Despite their recent travails, they remain third in the PL and well placed in the Champions League, so there is still much to play for.
Pressure Eased But What Next?
Liverpool have now posted back-to-back wins for the first time since consecutive 2-1 victories at Anfield against Everton and Southampton in September. It is good timing too, as next up they face one of the toughest games they will play this term. They travel to the Etihad to face Man City on Sunday in the 4.30 pm kick-off.
Arsenal are very much setting the pace this term and both of these two, who have won each of the past eight titles between them, are lagging behind. Come kick off City and Liverpool could trail the Gunners by nine points and 10 points respectively, so even this early in the campaign, this feels a little like a must-win contest. Should Arne Slot’s men get the job done and take all three points, Liverpool fans may well be right in thinking their team is back to its best. However, a Man City win, particularly if it was convincing, might leave Slot and co going back to the drawing board.