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ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL // Crisis? What crisis? After a run of six defeats in seven games, Liverpool is, for now at least, back on track. And the Reds made sure Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold knew it.
In a game full of intensity and tempo, Liverpool was on top in the first half, with Dominik Szoboszlai seeing a shot from close range saved by the exceptional Thibaut Courtois — a familiar story for the Reds.
Courtois was eventually beaten by an Alexis Mac Allister headed, though, and Alexander-Arnold's introduction off the bench only increased the fervor in the stands even further. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's reception
Trent Alexander-Arnold came out onto the pitch about 80 minutes before kick-off. It was too early for many Liverpool fans to be inside Anfield, but as he wandered around the edge of the giant Champions League ball-shaped plastic tifo in the centre, a smattering of Spanish fans in the away end gave him rapturous applause.
Before the game started, he engaged in a short conversation with several former teammates, including Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo, who were among the substitutes, but was booed roundly when his name was read out over the tannoy.
Xabi Alonso knows the power of the Anfield crowd — and the importance of not unnecessarily riling it — more than most, having been on the right side of plenty of big European wins. And yet, he still chose to bring on his number 12.
As Real Madrid chased the game, that only made the backing from those watching on even louder.
It was fitting too, with Alexander-Arnold back in town, that Conor Bradley put in such a superb showing. The Northern Irishman put in a huge shift defensively against Vinicius Jr, and sprang forward with the ball at his feet whenever he could.
Just like against Kylian Mbappe in last season's version of this fixture, when he was sensational, Bradley was very good again.
Jeremie Frimpong, when he comes back from injury, will hope to make the position his own. He will have no chance if Bradley can keep this up. Against Vinicius and the rest, he really came to life.
Thibaut Courtois finally beaten
Courtois was not quite a one-man defense for Xabi Alonso, but the former Chelsea shot-stopper was a busy man here. As the attempts rained down on his goal, he just kept getting in the way.
The best save was from Szoboszlai in the first half but he needed a strong arm to push away a free-kick from the midfielder early in the second period and Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike both went close.
Finally, Mac Allister was able to beat the Belgian. Real Madrid didn't offer that much, but Liverpool couldn't win by more goals only because of the Spaniard's goalkeeper.
Florian Wirtz excels
In the only change to the Liverpool starting line-up, Florian Wirtz came in to freshen things up. Interestingly, though, he was not deployed in his usual number 10 role, but instead switched to the left flank in favor of Cody Gakpo.
Wirtz, Alonso said in his pre-match press conference, is a certainty to be a success at Liverpool in the long term. He is simply too good to fail, with the pair having had much success together at Bayer Leverkusen.
Wirtz started to show that here, putting in a really impressive showing. The German was able to drift around and was tasked with creating from a wide berth. It seems to suit him far more.
In the Premier League, he hasn't been able to match the physicality levels required. Here, it was about technique rather than brawn, and he has that in spades.
Defensive stability vital
For any team, stability (or instability) can have a huge impact on results. Arne Slot named an unchanged defense for this game, off the back of Andy Robertson impressing against Aston Villa at the weekend.
It was also, coincidentally, the same Liverpool backline that started against Real Madrid in this same fixture last season.
The question now is whether Slot can go again with that quartet for Sunday's trip to Manchester City in the Premier League. Jeremie Frimpong is injured, of course, so the only real possibility for a swap would be at left-back, where Milos Kerkez is waiting.
Before the Aston Villa game, Robertson had only played around 320 minutes in the Premier League and the Champions League. Three lots of 90 minutes this week would be 270 in nine days — a huge ask. He came off here, but only very late.
Robertson was good here and offers the kind of stable base that Liverpool needs, but he was beaten a couple of times. He isn't perfect. If Kerkez does return, the pressure will be on to play just as composed.
Champions League hopes clear
With Ibrahima Konate fired up, Alexis Mac Allister snapping into tackles and Dominik Szoboszlai putting in his usual shift, Liverpool was much more intense than in many of its recent games (which have generally tended to end in defeat).
Of course, in a smoldering atmosphere, under the Anfield lights and against a European giant, it would have been a worry had that not been the case. But Slot's men looked build on their Aston Villa upturn.
It remains to be seen whether or not long throws and various other set-pieces prove to be an issue when Liverpool gets back to playing teams more prepared to go direct (it has Manchester City next).
For now, though, it is clear that Liverpool can compete with teams that want to play. In Europe, it might well find its likeliest route to silverware as a result.
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