Liverpool's own ignites Anfield with Kylian Mbappe moment as Reds secure statement win

It might not have been a definitive match-winning moment and it will not be part of any end-of-season Champions League highlights package.

After all, it was only a tackle. A tackle from a full-back who was shown a little too much of the ball by the attacker. But this was Conor Bradley, still a rookie at this rarefied level, spectacularly halting none other than Kylian Mbappe in full flight.

Yes, you will see similar challenges on a regular basis but none will ignite an occasion and a team quite like this one did after half an hour of relative tedium. And the fact it came from a player who was keeping Trent Alexander-Arnold - assumed to be a Real Madrid player-in-waiting - on the bench made it all the more significant.

There were several ramifications of what eventually became a compelling contest but perhaps the most important for Liverpool was the reminder they do have a very decent replacement if Alexander-Arnold does depart for Madrid.

Ah, but surely Liverpool would miss the Trent assists? Yep, but Bradley is no slouch on that front either, teeing up the opener for Alex Mac Allister. Bradley would later dispossess Mbappe and start the move that ended with Mohamed Salah winning and missing a penalty.

But that did not matter in the end, Cody Gakpo heading in an Andy Robertson cross to make it five wins in five Champions League games for the convincing Premier League leaders. But that Salah was not the only marquee player to miss from the spot told you what a miserable night this was for Real Madrid and Mbappe.

As if it was not brutal enough for Mbappe to be given a going-over by 21-year-old Bradley, the Frenchman had a chance to cancel out Mac Allister’s strike after Andy Robertson had brought down Lucas Vazquez.

But Mbappe saw Liverpool’s reserve keeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, keep out his penalty. It summed up Mbappe’s night - a night that started with him being pickpocketed by Salah, leading to the sort of incisive counter-attack that has become the trademark of the Arne Slot tenure.

This particular break ended with Thibaut Courtois half-saving a Darwin Nunez effort and Raul Asencio, making only his third senior appearance for Real, completing a goal-line clearance. That the highlight of the opening period was that splendid Bradley tackle was also testament to how mundane the match had been to that point.

While it did not seem to wake Mbappe up, it certainly energised supporters who had previously been treating the contest for what, realistically, it was … a free hit for Liverpool. But even allowing for their litany of absentees, this was a Madrid side accustomed to intimidating atmospheres and they saw out the half with relatively few alarms.

And they did not panic when Mac Allister gave Liverpool a deserved lead early in the second half, smuggling a shot into the corner of the net after playing a short exchange of passes with Bradley.

But after Kelleher had pushed away Mbappe’s spot-kick and Salah’s spot-kick had not even troubled Courtois or the goal, Gakpo rose unchallenged twenty minutes from the end to give Liverpool yet another victory in a remarkable start to the season.

And when Bradley had to leave the field with what looked like a hamstring problem in the dying stages, the acclaim was deafening. No wonder. If Alexander-Arnold does leave, Liverpool have a heck of a replacement.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.