Reds down Real as fans slammed for ‘disgusting’ act; Gunners’ huge statement — CL Wrap

Liverpool put a miserable run behind them with a dominant performance to end Real Madrid’s perfect Champions League start with a 1-0 win at Anfield on Tuesday.

Alexis Mac Allister headed in the only goal but Madrid were grateful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for keeping the score down.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was met with a hostile reception on his return to Liverpool as a late substitute and the home crowd roared the Reds over the line for what could be a turning point in their season. Both sides are now tied on nine points from their opening four games of the league phase.

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Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel slammed Liverpool fans for their treatment of Alexander-Arnold after he was booed by the Anfield crowd.

Alexander-Arnold moved to Spanish Giants Real Madrid on a free transfer in the off-season after winding down his contract in a move that angered fans and former players. Earlier before kick-off, a mural of Alexander-Arnold close to Anfield was also vandalised.

“I find it a little bit annoying, disgusting that this is even an issue. This is somebody that has given 20 years to Liverpool Football club. He’s won every trophy that they have played for in his time,” Schmeichel said.

“He should be welcomed back as a hero.”

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher however, said the reaction was understandable.

“The supporters decided what type of reception he gets,” Carragher said in response to Schmeichel on CBS’ coverage.

“Trent throughout those 20 years has played the position of ‘I’m a supporter on the pitch’.

“So them supporters in the stadium wouldn’t leave to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

“You don’t leave when you’ve just won the league title, and you’ve got the opportunity to win more trophies. Then you join a club that has beaten you twice in a Champions League final.

“I totally understand the reaction. I feel we have been hoodwinked a little bit by Trent.”

Liverpool had lost six of their last eight games in all competitions, but stopped the rot by beating Aston Villa on Saturday as Arne Slot resorted to a more tried and trusted team selection.

Florian Wirtz replaced Cody Gakpo in the only change from the weekend and Liverpool again looked more like the side that stormed to the Premier League title last season.

Madrid had lost just twice in 20 games since former Liverpool favourite Xabi Alonso took charge but relied on Courtois to avoid a similar scoreline to their only previous defeat this season -- 5-2 at Atletico Madrid.

The Belgian broke Liverpool hearts when the sides met in the 2022 Champions League final with a man-of-the-match display as Los Blancos won 1-0 in Paris.

Courtois’ busy night began when Wirtz teed up Dominik Szoboszlai who failed to beat the former Chelsea stopper from point-blank range.

Madrid were then rescued by a VAR review that deemed Aurelien Tchouameni’s arm was in a natural position as the Frenchman blocked a shot inside his own box.

Courtois was tested once more by a thunderous Szoboszlai shot as Liverpool pushed for the opener.

It took 45 minutes for Madrid’s star-studded forward line to muster a shot on target when Jude Bellingham jinked clear inside the box and fired a low effort that Giorgi Mamardashvili blocked with his feet.

Courtois continued to defy Slot’s men in a blistering start to the second period as he clawed away powerful headers from Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike before denying Szoboszlai once more from a free-kick.

It took the English champions an hour, but finally the giant Madrid number one was beaten when Mac Allister powered in a header from Szoboszlai’s free-kick.

A mural of Alexander-Arnold next to Anfield was vandalised in the hours before the game.

He was met by a chorus of boos nine minutes from time when he entered for his first appearance since September 16 after a hamstring injury.

Kylian Mbappe’s scintillating form has been the major cause for Madrid’s fine start to the campaign.

The French striker had only failed to score twice in 17 previous games for club and country.

Mbappe spurned the visitors best chance to level when he skewed wide from the edge of the box.

Vinicius Junior was also well-marshalled by Alexander-Arnold’s one-time deputy Conor Bradley as the Spanish giants failed to score for the first time this season.

Courtois produced one last fine stop from Gakpo to ensure a nervy finale. But Liverpool’s much-criticised defence stood firm for their first Champions League clean sheet of the season.

ARSENAL TEEN MAKES HISTORY AS GUNNER SEND STATEMENT

Mikel Merino’s two second-half goals helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win at Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday, the Gunners’ fourth in as many games in the competition.

For the Premier League leaders, the result also constituted a 10th straight win in all competitions and an eighth consecutive clean sheet.

They have now scored 11 goals and conceded none in the Champions League so far as they moved clear at the top of the standings.

The match also saw a moment of history as Arsenal’s Max Dowman became the youngest-ever player in a Champions League game aged just 15 years and 309 days when he came onto the pitch in the 73rd minute.

Stand-in captain Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 32 minutes after Slavia captain Lukas Provod had handled the ball in the box clearing a corner.

Merino made it 2-0 from a quick breakaway 30 seconds into the second half as he volleyed home at the near post after Leandro Trossard’s superb pass found him unmarked in the Slavia box.

He then beat Slavia goalkeeper Jakub Markovic with a header from Declan Rice’s cross on 68 minutes.

Merino was one of four changes made by Gunners coach Mikel Arteta against Arsenal’s 2-0 league win at Burnley on Saturday.

The game got off to an eventful start as Gabriel Magalhaes blasted wide from outside the box and Provod followed suit at the other end inside the opening two minutes.

Any effort by Slavia to get close to the Arsenal goal stumbled on the Gunners’ rock-solid defence, and the reigning Czech champions failed to produce a single shot on target during the match.

Arsenal were soon on the front foot, dominating possession and creating chances despite missing injured strikers Viktor Gyokeres,Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.

Saka alone had three shots on goal within eight minutes midway through the first half but was denied by Slavia’s Markoviceach time.

The goalkeeper also then stopped the Arsenal captain’s low shot from inside the box on 60 minutes.

The loss leaves Slavia, the Czech top-flight leaders, with two points from four games in the Champions League.

CONTENDER IN FRUSTRATING STALEMATE

Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt played out an uneventful goalless draw on Tuesday which did little for their stuttering Champions League campaigns.

There was little goalmouth action in Naples where both teams ended their evenings on a paltry four points from four matches in this season’s competition.

With a host of matches still to come on Tuesday and Wednesday, Napoli and Eintracht -- sat 19th and 18th respectively -- are likely to be in the elimination places at the halfway point of the league phase.

Scott McTominay missed the best chance of a frustrating night for the Serie A champions when he blasted over from close range following a a powerful burst down the right flank from his midfield partner Andre-Frank Anguissa.

But while Napoli can at least console themselves with a strong domestic performance thanks to their league lead in Italy, Eintracht have no such comfort.

Eintracht have won once in their last eight matches in all competitions and were also knocked out of the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund last week.

However, Dino Toppmoeller’s team will probably be happier with a point from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, especially given the hammering dished out to them by Liverpool last time out.

The Germans also earned a draw without the backing of their vociferous support. Eintracht fans were banned from Tuesday’s match, just as they were two years ago when a small but committed group of hooligans defied authorities and caused chaos in Naples.

No such incidents took place this time out, with the only crowd action of note being the tepid whistles which greeted the end of a forgettable encounter.

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