Liverpool delivered another dramatic late twist as they opened their Champions League campaign with victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
Alexander Isak made his eagerly awaited Liverpool introduction but it looked as though Arne Slot’s side would be disappointed as Atletico came from 2-0 down to level, only for Virgil van Dijk to head a stoppage time winner.
It was an established superstar rather than Liverpool’s new faces who provided the inspiration, with Mohamed Salah instrumental as the Premier League champions went 2-0 up inside six minutes.
Salah’s free-kick took a decisive deflection off Andrew Robertson to wrong-foot Atletico keeper Jan Oblak after four minutes, before the Egyptian finished off an exchange with Ryan Gravenberch by sliding home a smooth finish.
Atletico pulled one back in first-half stoppage time when Marcos Llorente poked a low shot under keeper Alisson as Liverpool appealed for offside.
The tiring Isak was substituted after 58 minutes as Liverpool continued to dominate and Salah should have added a third, only to strike the post in front of The Kop following good work by Florian Wirtz.
Llorente, who scored twice when Atletico won a Champions League last-16 game at Anfield in March 2020, repeated the trick with a volley that deflected off Alexis Mac Allister nine minutes from time.
Liverpool were not to be denied though and, as in their four Premier League wins this season, they did it again with the clock running down as Van Dijk rose to power home a corner in front of a jubilant Kop.
In the mayhem that followed, Atletico coach Diego Simeone was shown a red card after appearing to get involved in an altercation with supporters behind his technical area.
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