Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister both scored for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid as Andoni Iraola got his first win in the Champions League at the first attempt
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai celebrate during Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai celebrate during Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
In coming from behind against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool won having conceded the first goal in a game for the first time since its 4-1 victory over Newcastle in January.
Considering how often it conceded the first goal last term, it is a damning statistic, but the early signs under Andoni Iraola are promising. In three of his four games to date, Liverpool has let in the opening goal. While it would clearly be better to go ahead, none of the matches have resulted in defeats.
On Wednesday, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were instrumental, with the midfield duo both getting on the scoresheet after Marcos Llorente's customary Anfield goal.
"I said it many times that I love to play with Macca," Szoboszlai told reporters. "We know each other without actually talking. When you look at someone and he knows what I want to do, and he knows exactly what I want to do, it helps the team.
"But I think everybody is ready to compete with each other. It is not our decision, but I like to play with Ryan (Gravenberch), I like to play with Flo (Wirtz), with Wata (Endo) and with Trey (Nyoni). I like to play with everyone, and they like to play with each other and with me. So at the end, we need everybody. The season is very long, and we want to be in all the competitions."
Last year, Liverpool falling behind too often meant that the game would drift away. There were countless matches lost under Arne Slot where the Reds gave up too easily.
Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid
Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
"After a setback, it is not easy to come back into the game," Szoboszlai said. "We have seen last season from losing a game, we hardly created anything afterwards, but now I think it was a good reaction. We didn't panic too much and we kept the same system, and playing the same way. In the end, you have your chances because of the quality of the players, and we know each other, and we know what to do."
Ahead of the new season starting, and with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson having departed during the summer, Szoboszlai — alongside Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez — was named a vice-captain by Andoni Iraola. He has already been a leader for Hungary for some time, but Szoboszlai is hoping to further those skills at club level too.
"It was a nice feeling, obviously," he said. "We are three vice-captains. I think about the responsibility and I try to show on the pitch all the time, and off the pitch as well, becoming even more of a leader than last season."
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Others will need to help, too. Bradley Barcola, though he is only 24, should be one, after arriving from back-to-back Champions League winners PSG in a deal worth around $166 million (£123 million).
"He is a great player," Szoboszlai added. "He showed it in Paris. We need everybody with these qualities. He got a bit tired but that is normal, and he defended with everything, like we need.
"A win always gives you a push forward. Ronald (Araujo) playing right-back is not his normal position. Bradley (Barcola) on the right — he likes to play on the left. We have to adapt to each other and these are things we have to learn.
"But (the adaptation under Iraola) is going quite well. We know what he wants. He is figuring out which players he needs to do that, and that's all I can say."