Liverpool race into lead, are pegged back, then win in dying moments ... againRob Bagchi17 September 2025 at 11:53 pm0 Copied
Liverpool's late, late show has now been given the European treatment.
Arne Slot's side are never more vulnerable than when two goals ahead. And they are never more dangerous than when trying to win the same game for a second time.
First it was Bournemouth; then Newcastle United. Now Atlético Madrid have retrieved the same deficit and suffered, leaving Slot to ponder if he has a group of players who believe winning a football match once is too straightforward. Far better and more entertaining to invite the opponent to have another go before putting them to the sword.
Virgil van Dijk delivered the injury-time drama this time, and it was too much for the combustible Diego Simeone, sent off after the Liverpool captain headed home Dominik Szoboszlai's 92nd-minute corner.
The opening night in the Champions League here at Anfield looked like it was going to be a display of sheer carelessness by the English champions. They sprinted out of the traps in such a way to suggest making amends for their heartbreak last season was at the forefront of their minds, only to surrender their advantage to a Marcos Llorente double.
Instead, by full time Slot could see a multitude of positives amid that one, repeated negative.
Alexander Isak may become Anfield's latest gunslinger, but Mohamed Salah proved there is no new sheriff in town yet.
Isak played 58 minutes, beginning rustily before growing into his shirt. By then, Salah had reasserted his status, creating the first and scoring a beautiful second within six minutes.
This was the Salah who won the player of the year award last season, full of the vigour and poise which explained why Liverpool extended his stay by two years.
We should never doubt the world class, but often still do. One indifferent game starts the chatter. Two prompts endless debate. Four has some bringing down the curtain on a glorious career. There is never a fifth consecutive poor game from the Egyptian.
Slot loves a tease. In promising Isak would not play for 90 minutes, the expectation was his Anfield introduction would be a late cameo. Not so. The team sheet offered the welcome gift of the record signing. "Always the plan," suggested the Dutch coach.
The new No 9's first touch was on seven minutes, closing down Jan Oblak to prompt his first roar from the Kop. No wonder they were in such a jubilant mood. Liverpool were already two-nil up thanks to Salah springing to life upon hearing the Uefa anthem.
What followed was Isak in high profile pre-season training, shaking off the cobwebs while his side began looking like they might sweep away the opposition. For a while, Isak took on the role as a passenger as his team-mates played around him as much as Atlético defenders.
That changed when Atlético's centre-half Robin Le Normand targeted Isak with a reducer after 30 minutes, stamping on his foot. It was tempting to muse if the visitor was wearing black and white stripes under his blue jersey while humming Fog on the Tyne.
Isak recovered and instantly looked sharper, his best work coming the longer he was on the pitch. His first attempt was on 40 minutes - a snapshot from the edge of the penalty area. There was a second tester for Oblak a minute later, before a combination with Wirtz offered a tantalising glimpse of what might come when their partnership evolves. Move over Butch and Sundance when they are in tandem.
The duo swiftly exchanged passes giving the German a chance to go one-on-one with Oblak. Wirtz hesitated as Jeremie Frimpong looked set to provide the finish for what would have been the latest in a series of fine moves.
Whenever Slot's side moved through the gears, they were irrepressible, led by Ryan Gravenberch continuing the Patrick Vieira impressions so prominent when he first took on the anchorman role. He oozes class when controlling, turning and then dashing away from his markers.
All the traits Slot craved were on show in the opening stages, beginning with the speed with which his players were retrieving possession, continuing with a tempo when attacking which - for a while - was beyond the control of one of Europe's most organised defences.
Liverpool's opening goal after four minutes was fortunate, Salah's free-kick bouncing off Robertson to leave Oblak stranded. The second two minutes later was vintage Salah, however, combining with Gravenberch before delivering the lethal finish. Atlético had touched the ball just nine times at that point.
But Liverpool's problem in last season's Champions League is that they peaked too soon. As he watched his side in such swashbuckling form assume early superiority, Slot's concern at half-time was they had again dashed from the blocks only to allow the opponent to catch up.
Atlético regained their composure and halved the deficit in first-half injury-time. Marcos Llorente was the beneficiary with Liverpool's defenders waiting for an offside flag. Alisson believed Antoine Griezmann was interfering with his ability to make the save. Referee Maurizio Mariani, who had early been prompted to overturn a poor penalty decision favouring Liverpool, rejected the goalkeeper's pleas.
Alisson's frustration was, perhaps, more frustration that so much Liverpool excellence had been undone with a careless lapse.
Isak's exit gave Ekitike the opportunity to demonstrate his similarity, his liveliness almost leading to Liverpool's third when a quickfire break also involving Szoboszlai and Wirtz ended with Salah smashing against the inside of the post.
Wirtz, often accused of wanting too much time on the ball in the Premier League, was also guilty of hesitation after more good work by Salah teed up an opportunity to end the Spanish side's hopes of a point.
Wirtz was subbed a few seconds later after another performance which possessed moments of promise more than a full exhibition of the class which made his signature so coveted.
If there is a lingering worry for Slot, it continues to be the pursuit of a killer instinct. There were marked similarities between this game and those where they contrived to turn apparent ease into maximum discomfort.
The déjà vu began when Llorente volleyed the equaliser, but was only complete when Liverpool secured the points in a frantic climax once more.
Steve McManaman on Simeone's red card
I don't mind it to be honest. It's highly charged at the end. He gives as good as he gets Diego Simeone and that's why people really like him around the world. He's very passionate, he sticks up for his side and some Liverpool fans - I don't know if they've said anything or whatever because he seemed to be gesticulating that. But he doesn't speak any English anyway so I don't know how he understands them, and the Scouse accent is even worse so he's done well to understand if someone's made an insult to him!
Here's Arne Slot
If you want to beat at team like Atlético who have an unbelievable mentality you have to beat them with their weapon - mentality. But we should have made it easier. First half we had more than a few chances to score the third. In the second we hit the post and had other chances. When the margin is only one goal something can happen.
We showed the mentality in the 10 minutes that had to be played we were pushing, pushing, pushing and then [got] the set-piece goal.
If we feel urgency we are unbelievable but we have to make sure we feel urgency throughout 90 minutes and don't look at the score, feel it every second.
I'm happy with Alexander in the 60 minutes he played he seemed quite fit. He could play at this level after only one or two weeks of team sessions. He was a joy to watch and he was fitter than I expected but don't get your hopes up [that he'll start in Saturday's derby]. Maybe but he is not ready yet for three games a week or a full 90 minutes yet. We have two great centre-forwards and we intend to use both throughout their time here, particularly now.
Andy Robertson speaks to TNT Sports
We need to get back to winning a bit simpler. The assistant manager said to me wafter Virgil's goal that he is getting too old for it. It's great to be resilient but when you're 2-0 up it should have been a more comfortable night.
I thought [Isak] was excellent in the first half. Naturally got tired but then you've got Hugo to bring on. They're the future [the new signings] and are going to take the team forward. They're all young. You do have to help them settled down. It's one of the best clubs in the world but one of the most demanding. We have all thrived on it for years and these lads have the mentality to thrive on the pressure.
A bit of a difficult summer [when they signed Kerkez]. He's obviously going to start and I've only got a year left but since I came to terms with it, I love playing for this club and I believe I'll play games. We have quality all over the pitch. We can change every position during a game which is a positive. We have to show the quality of our signings by winning trophies. I believe we can do it.
Van Dijk's post-match interviewAwaiting details of what happened to Diego SimeoneFull time: Liverpool 3 Atlético 2
Atlético had a point there for the taking but tried to hold on instead of pushing on and at least trying to keep Liverpool away from their goal. But, continuing the narrative of this Liverpool season, they bang in a late winner. Atlético demonstrated real stones to fight back but then crumpled.
Simeone gets a bad press but the way the stadium flooded the Atletico bench with stewards after his altercation with some supporters does suggest he was provoked.
90+6 min: Liverpool 3 Atlético 2
Sorloth heads straight at Alisson when picked out by the excellent Llorente's cross. He could have gone low or in the corner but picked the wrong option.
90+5 min: Liverpool 3 Atlético 2
Ekitike lifts a left-foot half-volley over the bar from Salah's cross with only the two of them in the box.
90+4 min: Liverpool 3 Atlético 2
When the goal went in, Simeone was involved with some pushing and shoving with the crowd behind his area. Something mat have been said to him but he responded with characteristic vigour. He is subsequently sent off but he seems to be saying he was provoked.
Telegraph colleague Chris Bascombe said just before the corner went in: "I can see it happening again..."
And it is another Liverpool late show.
Bournemouth 4-2 - Chiesa 88, Salah 90+
Newcastle 3-2 - Ngumoha 90+
Arsenal 1-0 - Szoboslai 83
Burnley 1-0 - Salah 90+
GOAL!
Liverpool 3 Atlético 2 (Van Dijk) The quality of Szoboszlai's dead-ball delivery all match is rewarded with a bullet header from the left of the penalty spot after the captain held off Le Normand.
90+1 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 2
Bradley keeps going despite a move looking as if it's hit the rocks and he eventually finds Ngumoha whose cross is deflected behind for a corner.
90 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 2
Oblak hares off his line to punch the ball off Ekitike's head as Liverpool pile on the pressure. Four minutes to come.
88 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 2
Atlético have gone back into their shell and are inviting Liverpool on to them. They now have their third corner in a couple of minutes and the latest one is headed into the side-netting by Kerkez.
85 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 2
Konate heads the corner wide at the near post. May not have been a header. Could have been a shoulder.
Kerkez → Robertson.
84 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 2
Arne Slot's face makes words useless. He is peeved to say the least. But his players are pushing forward now with the urgerncy that has been missing apart from on the counter all half.
They have a corner after a great clearance from Molina to thwart Ekitike.
Ruben Amorim take note... Diego Simeone has changed his system several times this game. He started with a 4-4-2 and changed up to get Atletico back into the game. Now, with the scores level, he has five across his backline when Liverpool have the ball.
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Atlético 2 (Llorente) Sweet volley from 18 yards that deflects off Mac Allister and loops over Alisson. It was created by Koke's tenacity as he ran up the byline with Bradley expecting it to go out for a corner and then he pulled it back to Barrios who shifted it to the middle.
81 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
A couple of minutes ago Ekitike robbed Pubill and sent Ngumoha in down the left. He tried to stop and draw a mistake but they were too wily for him.
79 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Diligent tracking by Szoboszlai to help out Robertson stops a promising solo run up the right wing from Simeone.
Thunderclaps from the Atletico fans in one corner of the stadium. They sense a goal is there for the taking. While Alisson has not been worked too much, the Spaniards are looking dangerous going forward. Liverpool are a little nervy on the ball.
77 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Pubill → Nico Gonzalez.
Atlético attack breaks down with a daft foul on Mac Allister.
75 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Ngumoha → Wirtz. At 17 the Liverpool sub becomes their youngest player in their long European Cup history. A member of Simeone's staff was booked for demanding a penalty or a corner from Llorente's shot. Definitely not the former, possibly a corner, though.
73 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Llorente tacks across from the right to the left of the D, moving horizontally, looking for an opening and eventually pulls the trigger with his left foot, squeezing it between Bradley and Konate ... and over the bar.
71 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Ekitike sets up Wirtz with some wonderful movement to create space but the German playmaker is bustled off the ball by Le Normand before he can shoot.
69 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Bradley is booked for a needless foul. The crowd is starting to sound exasperated.
67 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Szoboszlai arrows a cross from the right to the back post. Wirtz could have taken a shot on the volley but dinks it to Ekitike who lifts his effort over the bar.
65 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Salah misses a virtually open goal by thundering a left-foot shot into the bottom of the right post after handsome build-up play between Szobioszlai, Wirtz and Ekitike teeing up Salah with a glorious Wirtz pass.
63 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Molina has slotted in at right-back and Llorente moved into central midfield. Simeone again makes progress down the right and bends over a cross looking for Gonzalez. Konate heads it away. If Sorloth, who laid that off, had been his target that would have made for a more interesting duel with the centre-backs.
61 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Ekitike almost catches his compatriot Lenglet taking one touch too many in the box before clearing but he manages to squeeze it under the centre-forward's leg as he stuck out his leg to try to nick it away.
Sortloth → Griezmann
Molina → Gallagher.
And now there are no Englishmen, point out the pundits. That ship has sailed long ago.
60 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Big cheer when Van Dijk takes a throw in moments after getting up from a spell on the floor and showing signs of discomfort, He seems OK now, though.
There was a mistake in a dangerous area there from Conor Gallagher that almost set up a chance for Liverpool - the former Chelsea midfielder got away with it. But overall he has played a positive part in Atletico's comeback after falling two goals behind. Gallagher has been carrying the ball forward and passing well. There are only three more England camps before the World Cup - so time is running out for him after missing out this month.
58 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Gakpo stands up a dipping cross to the near post that was bound for Szoboszlai's run but Atletico manage to hustle it away.
Three Liverpool changes:
Ekitike → Isak
Mac Allister → Gakpo
Bradley → Frimpong.
Wirtz shifts to the left wing.
56 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Nico Gonzalez wins the header from the corner. Liverpool mount a second phase of attack which ends when Frimpong floats his cross straight at Oblak standing at his near post.
54 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Liverpool keep probing and earn a corner.
First change:
Koke → Raspadori.
52 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Simeone and Llorente combine to send Raspadori down the right and he shimmies to brush off Gravenberch. But with Nico screaming for the cut-back he goes for a right-foot shot at an angle of about 90 degrees to the right post and hits it at chest-height at Alisson. His only hope was hitting it lower or with his left foot.
50 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Salah skates down the left, knocks it to the corner of the area to Wirtz whose quick feet draw a defender before he lays it off to Isak. They move the ball through the centre-forward to Robertson and round the defence on the left to Gakpo on the overlap. But when his cross comes in the ref blows his whistle for an infringement.
48 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
Gravenberch is at the heart of all Liverpool's work, prompting and pressing. Very bright on the cover, too. Griezmann almost puts Raspadori through as he benefits from some canons off shins and ricochets to dribble into the box but that good fortune betrays him when confronted one-on-one by Konate.
Ekitike is now warming up.
46 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
No changes at half-time amd Atletico kick off, defending the Kop this half.
Two views on Atléti's goal
Steve McManaman: "I think the keeper could see the ball when the shot was taken, that's why it's been allowed."
Half-time: Liverpool 2 Atlético 1
And just time for Lenglet to go into the book with a professional/tactical/cynical block before the ref calls time.
Good finish to the half there from Alexander Isak but can't see him staying on long in the second half, if he isn't subbed at the break. Couple of shots and promising link-up play with Florian Wirtz. Clearly needs games under his belt fitness-wise.
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Atletico 1 (Llorente) Survives a VAR check over whether Griezmann who was offside, was blocking the keeper's view. VAR agrees with the referee that he wasn't and Llorente is rewarded for an enterprising few minutes on the right, this time cutting in to combine with Raspadori and thread the ball through Konate's legs with a toe-poke, no backlift.
Griezmann ran right across the keeper as the ball crept past Alisson on the right into the left corner. Could the keeper have seen the ball?
45+3 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Good move by Atletico, a give and go with Simeone and Llorente down the right ends when the overlapping full-back's pull-back for Raspadori is bootesaway by Konate.
45+1 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Four minutes of stoppage time are signalled.
45 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Simeone has the beating of Robertson and fires over another cross that Liverpool turn behind. Griezmann whips over the corner but the ref blows for a foul before it even gets to Alisson.
44 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Attractively slick move starts with Wirtz driving into the box from the left, passing to Isak who cushions it and plays the perfect path that allows the advancing Wirtz to take it in his stride, diddle the keeper but then gets crowded out by Lenglet and Barrios. The ball sits up for Frimpong to bury it but he, too, is thwarted by a scrambling defender.
41 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Two shots in 90 seconds from Isak, both from the left cutting in on his right. The first, fed by Wirtz, is bent the wrong side of the right post. The secondn set up by Robertson and Gakpo to the left of the D, is struck but not with power towards the other post, cocking his ankle round to try to con the keeper who picked what he was doing and went that way.
38 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Van Dijk sprays a 60-yard diagonal up to Gakpo who runs at Llorente, tries to drive past him and knocks the ball through then stands still when body-checked. The referee waves play on arguing that Gakpo was barely touched, had the beating of his man and could have been through on goal if he hadn't eebn looking for a foul.
36 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Wirtz takes the corner from the right and Nico heads it away. Liverpool win the secind ball and come charging back until Barrios picks off Szoboszlai's pass and stops the tide.
No penalty
Frimpong's cross was blocked by a sliding Lenglet. Not even sure that it hit his hand. If it did it barely scratched his thumb. Indeed, the ref goes to have a look and gives a corner instead.
The ref has awarded a Liverpool penalty
That surely can't stand. VAR will overrule it.
33 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Galan's nose is splattered in a collison and the game has to stop to stem the bleeding. Isak is OK. As belatedly is Galan.
31 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Isak is down, having been caught on the side of the foot by Le Normand after Barrios's attempted clearance bounces off Robertson. He managed to lay it off to Salah before he hit the deck and Salah shot low but without venom at Oblak who made the long barrier to make sure he stopped it.
29 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Isak has made some good runs but has not seen much of the ball. Liverpool still give the ball to Salah as their first preference which makes perfect sense.
27 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Crisp tackle by Barrios on Frimpong stops a Liverpool counter and he works the ball down the right to Griezmann whose cross lacks whip and dip and is picked off by the defence.
25 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Griezmann picks out Lenglet but the former Barcelona centre-half who spent time on loan at Spurs and Villa heads tamely at Alisson.
23min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Twice Simeone has made good ground down the right, facing up Robertson and picking out a pass into the box. Griezmann is guilty of dithering on the ball instead of fizzing a first-time pass or shot and settles for a corner which he takes.
21 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Salah accelerates down the right, cuts in as we've seen dozens of times and cuts his left foot across the ball that sends it wobblint at pace just wide of the left post.
20 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Gakpo is double teamed by Le Normand and Llorente who win the ball off the winger. As the clock passes 20 minutes the Liverpool fans sing in tribute to Diogo Jota and the travelling support joins in.
18 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Atletico are starting to enjoy more ball - Gallagher picked out a cute pass that didn't quite come off and then Raspadori had a shit from 25 yards that floated harmlessly down Alisson's throat.
16 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Griezmann whips over the inswinging corner and Van Dijk heads it out. Back come Atlético, recycling the ball down the left to Griezmann who crosses again and Alisson pats it down and grabs it with his second touch.
14 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Frimpong goes down in the box after running in diagonally from the right wing on a direct dribble but he slipped. Galan counters up the left, driving forward and Konate comes over to slide in and knock the ball behind for a corner.
12 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Atlético's main problem is in central midfield where Gallagher and Barrios can't live with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch whose movement and penetrative running keeps punching holes through their lines.
Doubt this one will be decided late like every other Liverpool game this season. Stoppage-time goals against Bournemouth, Newcastle and Burnley, plus a late winner against Arsenal. But they are 2-0 up here in seven minutes and should see out a straightforward win.
10 min: Liverpool 2 Atlético 0
Have put the videos of the goals under the descriptions should you wish to see them.
Couple of fouls while writing up the goals, one on Gravenberch, one on Simeone. His old man didn't like Robertson clocking his son in the face with his arm.
Alexander Isak has barely had a touch before that goal. Virgil van Dijk booted up to him from kick-off and he challenged for a header - but the opening goal is a total fluke. Mohamed Salah's free-kick cannons off the wall, onto Andy Robertson and in the near post. Straight off the training ground.
GOAL!!
Liverpool 2 Atletico 0 (Salah) He's back! And with a typical twinkle-toed run into the box from the right, using Frimpong's overlapping run as decoy. He plays a one-two with Gravenberch whose touch was perfect. Salah gets his shoulder in front of two defenders who try to shut a sliding door in front of him, opens his body and bends a shot with his instep into the bottom left corner.
GOAL!
Liverpool 1 Atletico 0 (Robertson) Robertson's starting position is behind the wall. When the ref blows the whistle he runs to the right of it and inadvertently flicks Salah's left-foot shot past Oblak. Nothing Oblak could have done. Some query about whether it was a defender or Robertson but I think it was the left-back.
3 min: Liverpool 0 Atlético 0
Lenglet swings his left leg at Garvenberch after the Dutch midfielder had knocked the ball past him into the area. Free-kick, 20 yards out, right of centre. Wirtz and Salah size it up.
1 min: Liverpool 0 Atlético 0
Liverpool kick off, defending the Kop and roll it back to Van Dijk who lumps a long pass upfield for Isak that fades out to the right and Galan heads it out. Liverpool win the second ball and Salah combines with Frimpong until Salah allows Galan to get a tackle in and fouls him to stop him running forward with the ball.
The players shake hands after the anthem
And they split to head to their ends.
It's Arne Slot's 47th birthday and to celebrate he's picked a team with no Englishmen in it for the first time in the club's European Cup history. What would Emlyn Hughes say?
Out come the teams
Liverpool in red, Atletico in blue, a pantone colour a touch lighter than royal.
Isak has been warming up
Slot confirmed at the weekend that they would be taking a softly softly approach with Britain's record signing - oh and don't put him in your fantasy team for the derby:
If you start a season when the players have been off for five weeks, you give them a certain base before they are able to play 45 minutes
We got him from Newcastle in a state where you could see his pre-season was going to start now, then he needs proper minutes of training before he has a certain base, let alone for him to play twice in three days.
We try to prepare players at the beginning of the season to play once a week and then we try to do more before the rhythm of three games a week.
In Sweden they did the right thing by giving him good sessions without playing him a lot and we did the same so now he will be able to play 45 on Wednesday as a minimum or a little bit more.
But if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don't expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday [against Everton] as his body is not prepared for that.
Embrace the pastArne Slot speaks to TNT Sports
It was the plan all along [to play Isak tonight]. That's why he wasn't involved in the Burnley game so he could have a few proper sessions and that's what you need in pre-season. You don't start with a friendly, you have a week of proper training and then play 45 or maybe 60 minutes. And that's what we will see today.
For Alex No 9 is his best position by far. Hugo [Ekitike] when he was younger played as a winger but then he started to grow more and more and more. Cody Gakpo shows us you can be tall and still play as a very good winger so Hugo maybe can play off the wing in the way Cody and Mo are playing, holding the width and taking the one-on-ones. He could become a second striker but in general both are more No 9s.
What I admired in PSG is that they were so aggressive in their pressing. I will add to that that maybe it is easier when you play in the French league at the weekend so he can rest players once in a while. What I have learnt is - and also when we played the final of the League Cup, from November to March we had played the same players - I need to rotate a bit more and that may help us being fitter in March. But maybe [rotation] would have affected us in the Premier League where we clinched our title.
I'm expecting a [tough] match like the Premier League. We played them two years ago with Feyenoord and I saw with my own eyes how good Griezmann still is.
A billion pound squad?Opportunity knocks
Conor Gallagher has a big chance to impress for Atletico tonight. He has come off the bench in Atletico's last three games but gets his opportunity from the start tonight. Perhaps Diego Simeone sees his Premier League experience as important. Gallagher, 25, was not in Thomas Tuchel's squad for England's World Cup qualifiers this month, with Jordan Henderson still chosen ahead of him for the experience and leadership he brings to the squad. When Adam Wharton pulled out through injury, Tuchel chose to call-up Ruben Loftus-Cheek, although he did not use the AC Milan midfielder who is still waiting for his first cap since 2018.
Liverpool's new No 9
Arne Slot decides you can open your presents now:
And now for those of you watching in black and white
Liverpool Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak.
Substitutes Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Mac Allister, Bradley, Leoni, Ngumoha, Danns, Kerkez, Ekitike.
Atlético Madrid Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, Barrios, Gallagher, Nico; Raspadori, Griezmann. Substitutes Musso, Esquivel, Sorloth, Martin, Molina, Pubill, Seidu, Belaid, Ruggeri, Hancko, Koke.
Referee Maurizio Mariani (Italy).
Atletico Madrid team news
Nico Gonzalez is fit to start:
Isak starts for Liverpool
Alexander Isak will start for Liverpool tonight, with the Premier League's record transfer making his debut for his new club at Anfield. He replaces Hugo Ekitike from the team that defeated Burnley at the weekend, while Andy Robertson comes in for Milos Kerkez. Jeremie Frimpong is also back in the team, with Alexis Mac Allister on the bench.
Slot's thoughts
Arne Slot writing in his programme notes: "I am sure that this is the kind of fixture that Uefa had in mind when they made changes to the format. We face up to a tie that could quite easily be a Champions League quarter-final, semi-final or even a final."
Liverpool burnt by Champions League failure - so Arne Slot looked at PSG blueprint
Arne Slot sprang a surprise at a recent press conference when he failed to mention his disappointment at Liverpool's exit from last season's Champions League following their defeat by Paris St-Germain.
An exaggeration, obviously, but there was a period in the immediate aftermath of the penalty shoot-out defeat in the round of 16, and in the weeks and months which followed, when it seemed Slot was still processing the two-legged encounter against Luis Enrique's side who went on to be crowned champions of Europe. That sentiment lingered ahead of Wednesday's opener against Atlético Madrid.
For all the triumphs of his debut campaign at Anfield, there remains an inescapable sense that Slot has not yet banished the memory of the one that got away.
Slot acknowledged there was no guarantee Liverpool would have become European champions had they overcome PSG, but having taken the eventual winners the distance, the regret is as palpable now as it was then.
Five years ago
There are reruns being played in the press room of the 2020 clash between these teams, which came on the same day the World Health Organisation categorised coronavirus as a pandemic. It raised questions over whether the match with 52,000 spectators - 3,000 from Spain - should have gone ahead. The UK had yet to introduce restrictions on gatherings and travel at the time.
Preview: When it clicks
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of the Champions League group stage match between Liverpool and Atlético Madrid from Anfield. This is the first match of eight in the group stage for the six-time winners and co-tournament favourites Liverpool who may have lost in the round of 16 to eventual champions PSG last season but they have been defeated only once in the group stage of this competition and the Europa League in the past 10 years and that was to Atalanta back in 2020 when they had all but qualified anyway.
Atlético, who have been runners-up three times and for whom a maiden European Cup remains a quasi-Holy Grail for their manager, Diego 'Cholo' Simeone, beat Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield in extra-time of the R16, that infamous super-spreader eve of lockdown R16 tie in March 2020 but Liverpool beat them home and away a year later in the group stage and if anything Atlético look farther away from winning it than at most points over the past dozen years.
Although most supporters visiting Anfield tonight - and certainly most neutrals - would want to witness Alexander Isak's debut for the club it seems unlikely to be as a starter, given he wasn't even in the squad for the last gasp victory over Burnley on Sunday and he may not even make the bench if Arne Slot continues to behave like one of those stern parents who insists the opening of Christmas presents can proceed only after an invigorating walk and lunch.
That win was the latest of four in the Premier League that has pushed the champions to top spot but in truth they have struggled for fluency yet have been bailed out by an indomitable spirit that has driven them on to scramble late goals against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal and the Clarets. It will click, no doubt.
While it may seem like a good moment to play them, Atléti have started their Liga campaign stutteringly with a defeat and two draws before the weekend's 2-0 victory over Villarreal. That match, however restorative and much needed, cost them the services of their best player, the World Cup-winner Julián Alvarez, who scored 29 goals last season after signing from Manchester City. He limped off at half-time and has been left at home. As have the Spain attacking midfielder, Alex Baena, a £40m summer signing from Betis, their toughest defender, José Giménez, and two more summer purchases, Thiago Almada, also a reigning world champion with Argentina, and the USA midfielder Johnny Cardoso.
The grit will always be there in a Simeone side and they do have the late blooming centre-forward Alexander Sorloth but they seem to be relying a bit too heavily on their veterans, Marcos Llorente, Koke and Antoine Griezmann, tonight.