Slot's superstars come of age to show that they're ready to win it all

Liverpool gain revenge on Real Madrid on another magical Anfield occasion

Anfield expected, and Liverpool duly delivered. The European champions were sent packing on an evening of high drama, high intensity and high volume. Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo provided the goals but this was a performance that every man on the pitch and every man woman and child in the stands could feel as though they played their part.

If the atmosphere for Bayer Leverkusen was electric, this was a level above - thermonuclear. With the Germans, it was a case of welcoming back an old friend, whereas Real Madrid are definitely foes, and the Anfield crowd treated them as such. The two who could have been in Red - Kylian Mbappe & Jude Bellingham - heard the boos ringing loud with every touch.

Anfield was as consistently loud as I’ve ever known it, and still managed to find extra levels when the action demanded. Inside ten minutes, Mohamed Salah stole the ball from Mbappe’s toe to send Darwin Nunez marauding through the centre, his shot half saved by Thibault Courtois and cleared inches from the line by Raul Ascensio. If there was a roof, it would have come off.

After a game at St. Mary's where he was frustratingly peripheral, Nunez was at the centre of everything in the opening half hour, both good and bad. A tussle with Ascensio brought a frankly embarrassing tumble that saw both men given yellow cards and was quickly followed by a clumsy tackle on the edge of his own box that gave Arda Guler the chance to curl a free kick just over Caoimhim Kelleher’s bar. And yet, Captain Chaos was troubling the opposition.

Courtois was required to smother another poke goalwards from close range after good work from Curtis Jones. The Uruguayan got closer still with an instinctive header from an intelligent clip by Mac Allister, but the ball dribbled agonisingly wide. The chances began to mount - Luis Diaz couldn’t lift his header above the Belgian’s outstretched paw, Jones beat makeshift full-back Fede Valverde but no one was close enough to his centre, Conor Bradley dragged a shot wide from 25 yards, and Jones followed suit after a brilliant tackle from Nunez retrieved possession.

Bradley was the catalyst for the attacking onslaught, igniting Anfield with a brilliantly timed tackle on Mbappe that stopped a potentially dangerous counter from a Liverpool corner, and was celebrated like a goal.

Make no mistake, his matchup against the World Cup winner could have been an embarrassment. More experienced players have floundered at the Frenchman’s feet, but Bradley rose to the occasion superbly. In a man-of-the-match display, he was a model of concentration, bravery and panache.

For all of the reverence paid to the visitors by Arne Slot and Andy Robertson on Tuesday evening, there was no inferiority complex on the pitch. Liverpool were in their faces and at their backs, dominating the battles and the ball for most of the game.

The Dutchman wasn't entirely happy with the opening 45 minutes, despite the strong ending:

“We controlled the first half, but were still a bit sloppy, and lost the ball in easy situations. We forced it a bit too much, and I told them (at half time) to be more patient, and let the gaps open up”.

If Carlo Ancelotti’s side hoped half-time would bring about a reset, they were out of luck. Slot was more pleased with his side's “total dominance” of the opening exchanges of the second half, ignoring his pleas for patience with a flurry of early corners that created another chance for Jones, who saw his shot from the edge of the area deflected wide.

Bradley, emboldened by his first-half showing, began to find himself in attacking areas. The man from Castlederg was fearless and dashing, whether playing one-twos with Salah or testing Courtois with a header from the centre-forward position after a beautifully drifted ball from Mac Allister.

The two men combined again for the opener. Another one-two on the edge of the area allowed the Argentinian to slide the ball into the far corner. The prolonged build-up of pressure meant the release was ecstatic - a thunderclap of noise rattling through the stands of the famous old ground.

As happens so often once Liverpool’s tails were up, one almost became two immediately. A Mac Allister shot flashed past the other post after a great run from Jones, including a body swerve on Luka Modric that made the legendary Croatian feel every one of his thirty-nine years. It was another feather in the cap for this Liverpool midfield against the trio of galacticos fielded by Ancelotti.

Madrid’s much sought-after reset came as an injury to Eduardo Camavinga allowed a tactical switch. A slightly less makeshift full-back in Lucas Vasquez entered the fray, freeing Valverde to reclaim his place in the centre of the pitch. The change almost brought instant dividends.

Vasquez tumbled in the box at the sight of Andy Robertson’s leg and Referee Francois Letrexier flung his arm towards the penalty spot with haste. The Frenchman had already drawn as much ire as his more illustrious compatriot for the lopsided use of his yellow card, but this decision solidified his place amongst the villains.

Luckily, Liverpool had a hero between the sticks. Robertson may have conceded penalties in consecutive games but Kelleher saved them both, winning his game of chicken with Mbappe and learning from his mistake at Southampton by pushing the effort well wide of anyone seeking to tap in a rebound.

Letexier also sought atonement, awarding the home side a penalty after another Bradley tackle on Mbappe sparked a rapid counter that ended with Salah being tripped by Ferland Mendy. In another departure from the previous game, the man of the moment couldn’t capitalise, driving his penalty wide of the post.

Liverpool wouldn’t have to wait much longer for that precious second goal. After Slot had told me at the weekend that he wanted his side to make more from set pieces, they finally obliged. A teasing Robertson centre was met emphatically by substitute Gakpo, who thumped a header into the bottom corner.

Both sides conjured presentable chances in the final twenty minutes, with each goalkeeper forced to produce their best. In the end, Anfield were able to enjoy their procession, despite late injuries for Bradley and Ibrahima Konate that may cause Slot some consternation with Manchester City to come at the weekend.

“I know where they have pain, but it’s too early to judge”, was his assessment post-match, but it’s clear that he has faith in his squad to keep rolling in spite of the wear and tear of a long season.

Joe Gomez may have seen action at left-back on Sunday, with Kostas Tsimikas still sidelined and Robertson no longer guaranteed to be able to handle the demands of three intense games in eight days. If Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t ready Gomez will deputise for Bradley, but regardless of fitness, defence is the least of the Head Coach’s worries.

447 minutes have passed since Christian Pulisic started Liverpool’s Champions League campaign in the worst possible way, and no one else has found their net since. They have 15 points, clear daylight at the top of another table and a virtual assurance of a place in the top eight and a safe passage to the last 16.

For Madrid, the prospects aren't so bright. They sit in 24th, clinging onto the last playoff place ahead of PSG. Mbappe once again left Anfield underwhelming and defeated, delighting his detractors and causing more difficult questions for his coach.

The unflappable Italian was bullish about his side's future prospects, telling reporters “We will qualify to the next round and we will compete as every year. You will see”.

Slot may be unwilling to get carried away at winning “just a group game”, but if the English champions get the same treatment as the European champions did tonight, nothing will be able to stop the Liverpool faithful from getting very excited at the prospect of a season as successful as any in the club's illustrious history.