Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with his teammates. (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
Liverpool were top value for their 1-0 defeat over Real Madrid in a pulsating Champions League group stage match at Anfield on Wednesday (AEDT).
Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois was at his brilliant best, making seven top-class saves before finally beaten by Alex Mac Allister’s header from a corner in the second half. Liverpool also thought they should have had a penalty.
Former Liverpool hero Trent Alexander-Arnold was a late substitute for Real, entering the pitch to a chorus of boos from his former fans.
Liverpool were better across the park, with under fire German Florian Wirtz having his best match in the red jersey. After a five-match losing slump, which ended in a 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa last weekend, the Reds look like they’re returning to form.
Conor Bradley had Vinicius Junior in his pocket, while Liverpool’s defence, which has been leaky at times this campaign, shut down Kylian Mbappe, as they had a second clean sheet on the trot.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain were beaten 2-1 at home by Bayern Munich after Luis Diaz scored twice and then was sent off in the first half for the Germans.
Diaz saw red for a bad challenge that left PSG star Achraf Hakimi in tears as he was taken from the ground.
Mikel Merino scored twice and teenager Max Dowman broke a Champions League record as Arsenal continued their perfect start with a 3-0 cruise against Slavia Prague.
The victory was Arsenal’s 10th in a row in all competitions and the clean sheet was the eighth in a row – matching a club record set back in 1903 over two different seasons.
Spaniard Merino was starting up front in place of the injured Viktor Gyokeres and he scored the second and third goals after Bukayo Saka’s first half penalty.
Slavia Prague started strongly but were overwhelmed by Arsenal’s tight control in the second half.
Dowman made history as a second half sub. At 15 years and 308 days old he became the youngest player to feature in the Champions League – breaking the mark set by Youssoufa Moukoko at 16 years and 18 days with Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
“It doesn’t get any harder than this competition and Max, at 15, straight away looked to take people on and win free-kicks,” said Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta.
“The way he plays he attracts a lot of contact. He is so good at timing the right moment to move the ball. We have a massive player there.”
Dowman’s record came six days after he became the youngest Arsenal player to start a match in the EFL Cup win over Brighton.
Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven scored a brilliant solo goal as Spurs thumped Copenhagen 4-0.
“I started dribbling and thought I thought that I would see if they would catch up and they didn’t,” said van de Ven.
“I am feeling good, and I felt amazing in the sprint, I felt like I could keep going.”
Monaco got their first win of this year’s league phase by beating Bodo/Glimt 1-0 in Norway. Atletico Madrid beat Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1 for a second win in four while Juventus and Sporting (1-1) and Olympiakos and PSV (1-1) ended all square.