Liverpool overcome disastrous start to claim dramatic win over Villarreal

Having won 15 of their last 16 Champions League group/league phase games on home soil, Liverpool were heavy favourites to extend that record against Villarreal.

It was the visitors, however, who took a shock lead inside four minutes, as Georges Mikautadze capitalised on a misplaced header from Virgil van Dijk to slot coolly beyond Alisson into the bottom corner.

That early setback led to a nervy opening 20 minutes at Anfield, with Rio Ngumoha the only bright spark for Andoni Iraola’s disjointed side.

Villarreal continued to look considerably sharper across the pitch as the first half progressed, and the visitors deservedly doubled their lead before the half-hour mark.

Nathan Saliba had all the time in the world to release Sergi Cardona through on goal, and the left-back made no mistake, rolling a composed finish past Alisson at the Kop.

That sparked the Reds into life, and they quickly halved the deficit when Alexis Mac Allister headed home from Kostas Tsimikas’ outswinging corner.

The Argentine went close again shortly after, firing narrowly wide from 25 yards, while at the other end, Santiago Mourino saw a powerful strike tipped over by Alisson.

The end-to-end nature of the contest showed no signs of slowing down before half-time, and Liverpool drew level in stoppage time, with Ronald Araujo nodding in at the back post after a superb delivery from the influential Ngumoha.

Iraola’s side carried their momentum into the early stages of the second period, but Peter Gulacsi stood firm in the visitors’ goal, denying Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz in quick succession.

Determined to record a sixth straight Champions League win against Spanish opposition, Liverpool continued to probe in the final third, and their pressure paid dividends when Ngumoha raced to the byline to set up Mac Allister for a simple close-range finish.

A fourth goal followed just three minutes later, as Wirtz collected a pass from Gakpo and fired clinically into the bottom corner for his first of the season.

Undeterred, Villarreal set up a fascinating finale when substitute Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi volleyed home from Ayoze Perez’s cross.

However, the Reds held firm in stoppage time to continue their 100% start to the league phase, as Villarreal’s winless run against English sides in the Champions League extends to 17 matches (D6, L11).

Flashscore Man of the Match: Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool)

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