Liverpool made it five wins from five in this season’s Champions League after a 2-0 dismantling of Real Madrid at Anfield last night.
Arne Slot’s side followed up victories against AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen after second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and substitute Cody Gakpo.
Star man Mohamed Salah squandered his effort from the penalty spot, but he wasn’t alone, with French international Kylian Mbappé also having his effort denied on Merseyside.
The victory keeps the Reds top of the new-look group format, maintaining their perfect record in Europe – remaining the only outfit left in the competition with a 100% record.
It was a real team effort to defeat the defending champions, but there’s no denying that numerous players stood out during the triumph, playing a vital role in inflicting more pain on Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Liverpool’s star performers against Real Madrid
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has done a superb job in recent weeks, stepping in for Brazilian international Alisson after his recent injury issues.
The 26-year-old made himself known between the sticks once more last night, producing some key saves that kept the game swinging in favour of Slot’s side.
Kelleher made three saves during the win, including a crucial intervention from Mbappé’s penalty, undoubtedly the key moment in the fixture coming just minutes after the opener.
He also completed 93% of the passes he attempted and seven recoveries, with his display making it seriously hard for the usual number one to walk straight back into the starting lineup upon his return from his latest setback.
Argentine midfielder Mac Allister also produced another phenomenal display, proving to the boss that he made the right call in reinstating him to the side after being named on the bench against Southampton on Sunday.
The 25-year-old completed 54 passes against the Spanish giants, whilst finding the back of the net in superb fashion, handing the Reds the advantage just minutes into the second half.
However, he wasn’t done there, creating two big chances for his teammates as they went in search of the all-important second, which eventually came through Gakpo with less than 15 minutes remaining.
Despite the aforementioned duo’s efforts, one player outperformed them both, giving Slot a real selection headache in the weeks ahead.
Performance in Numbers
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The Liverpool ace who stole the show vs Madrid
Right-back Conor Bradley has been tasked with one of the hardest jobs in football, stepping in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Englishman’s hamstring issue.
However, he’s made it look simple, with last night one of his best displays since his first-team debut back in the 2021/22 campaign.
The Northern Ireland star was also facing one of the best talents in Europe in the form of Mbappé, but made light work of the 25-year-old, restricting him to limited opportunities in the final third.
Bradley, who was dubbed “magic” by pundit Ally McCoist, won eight duels during the match – the most of any player on either team – whilst achieving a 100% tackle completion rate, which included a superb last-ditch effort on the aforementioned talent.
He also managed to achieve an 86% pass completion rate, with eight of his passes being played into the final third, allowing him to have an impact at both ends of the pitch.
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Conor Bradley’s stats for Liverpool against Real Madrid |
|
|---|---|
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Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
87 |
|
Touches |
70 |
|
Passes completed |
42/49 (86%) |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Tackles won |
4 |
|
Duels won |
8/12 (67%) |
|
Shots taken |
2 |
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Stats via Sofascore |
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One of his subsequent passes fell into the path of Mac Allister, allowing the midfielder to open the scoring for the Reds, with it no surprise that club legend Jamie Carragher was quick to praise the academy graduate, after stating “what a performance” it was from the youngster.
Not only did he wow that man Carragher, but Bradley was also handed a 9/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle – an indication as to how impressive the youngster was despite the mammoth task he was facing before a ball was kicked.
It was then frustrating to witness the man of the moment forced off with injury late on, although even so, he more than proved his credentials as the player who could potentially replace Alexander-Arnold for the long-term.
With his teammate yet to agree a new deal at his boyhood side, the future may not be so daunting, with Bradley waiting in the wings to make the role his own during the years ahead.
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