If once is an accident and twice is a coincidence, what do we say about something that happens for a fifth time? Much more of this and Arne Slot will become more synonymous with the “Late Show” than David Letterman.
Wild nights are not necessarily associated with turning 47 but Slot won’t forget this madness in a hurry – how could he when he saw an injury time winner from his captain, his opposite number get ejected from the party early and his presents, worth a quarter of a billion pounds, start to sparkle?
Liverpool have played five games now this season and Virgil van Dijk’s decisive header means they have scored winning goals in minutes 88, 100, 83, 95 and now 92. It was ridiculous they needed to rescue themselves here, having seemingly been in control, but it wasn’t down to luck.
Of course, van Dijk’s header made the night – well, one man to be specific – go pop. Diego Simeone is a walking, talking theatre on nights like these. He ran the gamut of emotions from despair to delirium, before he was banished after becoming involved in a skirmish with celebrating supporters.
What madness this was but, then again, Liverpool versus Atletico Madrid had the potential to be a blockbuster, a night when the stadium crackled with nervous energy, and so it proved. It became an occasion that seemed to have a place in next May’s final in Budapest riding on it.
Slot will have much to digest in the next 48 hours and, for sure, will bemoan the two goals conceded but when he settles down, his eye will be drawn to one passage of play, especially, put together by a dynamic duo who gave a tantalising glimpse into the future.
Virgil van Djik scored a stoppage time winner as Liverpool won 3-2 against Atletico Madrid
The Liverpool captain headed Liverpool back ahead after the Reds had let a 2-0 lead slip
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone was sent off in the aftermath following a clash with fans
Florian Wirtz and Aleksander Isak should, of course, be good for their combined fee of £241million, but you take nothing for granted in football. Let us go to the moment, then, when a roar ripped around the stadium, fuelled by giddy excitement about the potential for a devastating partnership.
Off went Wirtz from the left, midway inside Atletico’s half, the ball glued to his feet. On the touchline, Simeone waved his arms as frantically as an anxious Wall Street trader, as the German took on the role of a confidence trickster: first the ball was there, those in Blue could see it, then it was gone.
All the while, Isak – so evidently rusty after a summer of dissent in the North East – was watching – and peeled away into space. No 7 found No 9 (a certain generation will immediately think Dalglish and Rush) and, almost immediately, a deft return from No 9 allowed No 7 to scuttle free.
Wirtz went around Jan Oblak, Atletico’s keeper, but he just couldn’t apply the finishing touch nor could Jeremie Frimpong, who was running in like an express train. No matter. The audience had seen enough and gave their noisy seal of approval.
Why focus on this when there were so many other plots? This, essentially, is what it is going to become about for the Premier League champions, as they attempt to retain their domestic crown and then conquer Europe, a double that Liverpool have not completed since 1984.
Slot has preached since the closure of the transfer window that spending was essential for Liverpool this summer but he is being coy: Liverpool went as big because they want to become the dominant force and Isak and Wirtz are going to be cornerstones of this twin assault.
Both men were substituted in the second half. Isak, for 25 minutes of his eagerly-anticipated debut, looked tentative and happy to stay on the periphery as the old guard took charge against Atleti, whose game plan disintegrated the moment Salah’s free-kick deflected off Robertson.
You may have seen Simeone’s theatrics many times down the years but they never fail to entertain, every misplaced pass looks like it might bring him to tears, every failure to shut down play leaves him hissing like a grenade that is about to go pop.
Mohamed Salah scored a superb individual effort as Liverpool raced into a 2-0 lead at Anfield
The Liverpool talisman struck as the host’s scored twice in the opening six minutes
Alexander Isak was handed his Liverpool debut but understandly the forward looked rusty
Marcos Llorente pulled a goal back for Atletico Madrid on the stroke of half-time at Anfield
Llorente’s fine volley saw the visitors level the match at 2-2 before Van Dijk’s late winner
Simeone was shown his marching orders after an incident which UEFA will surely review
He had been taken to the point of exasperation inside six minutes as Liverpool threatened to run amok. Salah’s goal, which came after he’d left Javier Galan, Connor Gallagher and Nico Gonzalez toiling in his wake, was a thing of beauty.
With Atletico at sixes and sevens, you were left with the feeling that Liverpool might score six or seven in the first half because they had the bit between their teeth and the energy to run amok. Salah, especially, is making those who think his form is patchy reassess their opinions.
Had Wirtz scored the goal that moved deserved just before half-time, then there is no question Liverpool would have gone on to take three points but there had been a whiff of complacency about them – and definitely in the crowd – and Marcos Llorente changed the tone in first-half injury time. Almost from nowhere, he poked in a shot after beating the offside trap.
All around the stadium there were looks of accusation, someone hadn’t done their job in a certain part of the field, but it was pointless. The damage had been done and Simone saw an opportunity.
Atletico, who should really have won this competition during Simeone’s fabulous tenure, kept jabbing away in the second period. Liverpool had their chances, couldn’t finish them and then Llorente popped the balloon, with a volley that deflected off Alexis Mac Alliser on its way in.
Onto the pitch Simeone went, like he had found the winning ticket for the Euromillions, unable to contain his joy. Then, in his glee, that ticket blew out of his hand in the wind. Van Dijk rose to plant a header into the Kop End net and leave his manager on top of the world.
