Anfield on a European night never ceases to through up drama. Two goals down inside half an hour, Liverpool came back to beat Villarreal 4-3 on Tuesday and make it three wins from three in this season’s Champions League. It was messy at the back and brilliant going forward, and it was an 18-year-old who stole the show.
A nightmare start
It took four minutes for the Kop to go quiet. Virgil van Dijk’s header back towards Alisson was poor, Georges Mikautadze got there first and tucked the ball home. It was the earliest Liverpool had fallen behind at Anfield in a major European tie for 25 years.
Things got worse on 29 minutes. A slick Villarreal move opened us up and Sergi Cardona raced through to finish. Two down, and the visitors had deserved it.Â
The turnaround before half-time
The response was quick. Seven minutes later Kostas Tsimikas swung a corner in and Alexis Mac Allister got his head to it to make it 2-1. Then, right on the stroke of half-time, Rio Ngumoha whipped a ball into the box, Cardona let it run and Ronald Araujo ghosted in at the back post to head past Gulacsi. 2-2 at the break, and Anfield was loud again.
Second-half control
We were the better side after the interval. Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz both tested Peter Gulacsi, and Trey Nyoni’s drive whistled just past the post.
The third goal came on 65 minutes and it was all Ngumoha. He kept dancing past defenders and picked out a pinpoint low cross for Mac Allister, who swept it in off the crossbar. Three minutes later Wirtz made it four with a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. It was his first goal of the season, and the relief on his face said plenty.
A nervy finish
Villarreal made us sweat. Three minutes from the end of normal time, Ayoze Perez put in a good delivery and Tani Oluwaseyi finished to make it 4-3. We held on through the added time without any real scares, but it was a reminder of how loose we can be.
Ngumoha the star
They played Rio by Duran Duran over the speakers at full time, which tells you who the best player on the pitch was. Ngumoha finished with two assists and seven successful dribbles, often with three Villarreal players trying to get near him. At 18 years and 52 days old, he became the third-youngest player to provide multiple assists in a Champions League game, according to Opta.
Afterwards he said it was “up there with one of the best I’ve played”. Andoni Iraola praised his attitude and said he is eager to improve, but was careful to point out that he is not yet the finished article and there will be ups and downs. Fair enough. It is still a joy to watch.
Mac Allister deserves his share too. His brace took his Champions League tally to eight goals, and all eight have come at Anfield.
By the numbers
Liverpool had 22 shots to Villarreal’s 14, with expected goals of 2.37 to 1.58 and 53% of the possession. The result was deserved, even if the way we got there was not for the faint-hearted.
What needs fixing
Seven goals at Anfield is great for the neutral, but Iraola will not be thrilled. This is the second Champions League game running in which we have conceded three and still won. Van Dijk’s error gifted the opener and our shape was far too easy to carve open for the second.
Villarreal boss Inigo Perez felt the equaliser just before half-time was the key moment, and he was right. We will not get away with defending like that against better sides.
Next up
Brighton visit Anfield in the Premier League this weekend. Iraola will want a more controlled performance, but after a night like that, nobody will be complaining about the entertainment.
