Liverpool seal another late win to see off Atletico Madrid in Champions League

Liverpool left it late once again as Virgil van Dijk’s header in added time got them off to a winning start in the Champions League with a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid.

In what is becoming something of a pattern this season, Arne Slot’s side allowed a two-goal lead to slip before producing another dramatic finish.

For the fifth successive time, they scored a winner later than the 83rd minute with their captain heading home a corner two minutes into the additional period.

While Anfield went while wild, tempestuous Atleti coach Diego Simeone argued with fans behind his dugout and after being pulled away was sent off by referee Maurizio Mariani.

British-record signing Alexander Isak’s much-anticipated debut earlier had seemed tame in comparison as it was Liverpool’s old guard who got them off to a flying start.

The £125million deadline-day transfer from Newcastle was surprisingly given a start after just 18 minutes of football for Sweden, having missed pre-season with his former club.

But while he was getting up to speed, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah were putting the hosts two goals up inside six minutes.

However, for the third time in five matches they allowed a 2-0 lead to slip only for Van Dijk to make it a happy 47th birthday for head coach Slot.

As the first half wore on Isak began to warm to his task and his link play with Florian Wirtz, another £100m summer addition, was encouraging after less than a week’s training together.

The Swede was a peripheral figure until the 31st minute when Robin Le Normand’s crunching tackle left the striker down clutching his ankle and Anfield holding its collective breath.

Bizarrely it appeared to jolt Isak into life as, played in by Wirtz, he stabbed a shot wide of the far post, before returning the favour for his team-mate only for Jeremie Frimpong to swing and miss.

A cute backheel put Wirtz in again but he was crowded out before Isak’s first shot on target was comfortably collected by Jan Oblak.

They were to pay for that as Marcos Llorente, who scored twice in Atleti’s only win here in 2020, scored the first of his double, although goalkeeper Alisson Becker was furious Antoine Griezmann, standing in his eyeline, was not ruled offside.

Isak was given the first 12 minutes of the second half before making way for Hugo Ekitike, but Liverpool should really have put the game to bed in the first half after a lighting-quick start at the feet of Salah.

The Egypt international, criticised for being anonymous at Burnley on Sunday until he scored the winning penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time, was at the forefront.

Ryan Gravenberch, who had one of his best games both with and without the ball, was fouled by Clement Lenglet on the edge of the area in just the fourth minute.

Salah’s low free-kick took a huge deflection off the back of the calves of Robertson, making his first start of the season, and Atleti midfielder Pablo Barrios, leaving Oblak wrong-footed.

Two minutes later, Salah and Gravenberch combined down the right and the forward’s twinkling toes saw him dance through the Atletico defence and slide an angled shot past past the outstretched right boot of Oblak.

Simeone told his players to calm down but left-back Javier Galan was having a torrid time against Salah, who cut inside to curl a shot wide of the far post.

In added time, Giacomo Raspadori’s onside run from deep set up Llorente’s goal.

After the break, Alisson saved Raspadoni’s shot from a narrow angle and Salah a the post after a counter, but Liverpool’s early dominance seemed a long time ago as Atleti pushed for the equaliser with Llorente shooting over.

The warning was not heeded and with Liverpool looking slightly directionless, Llorente’s wickedly dipping volley, after deflecting off Alexis Mac Allister, sent the Atletico coaching staff running on to the pitch.

Ibrahima Konate should have won it but headed a corner wide, only for Van Dijk to show him how it should be done.