Liverpool were the better side all night and defeated Real Madrid 1–0 at Anfield to win back-to-back games for the first time since September.
Thibaut Courtois tried his best to deny Liverpool a positive result, but Alexis Mac Allister found a way to fire a header past the Belgian right after the hour mark, a goal that proved to be the winner.
Arne Slot named his strongest XI and won the tactical battle against Xabi Alonso, handing the Real Madrid boss his first Champions League defeat in charge of Los Blancos.
The atmosphere at Anfield matched the intensity Slot’s men showcased on the pitch all night. The Premier League champions earned a well-deserved win on the back of a number of standout performances.
Up next for the Reds is a home bout against Nottingham Forest before the November international break.
Player ratings from the game below.
Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili—7.6: It was a comfortable night for Mamardashvili. Did his job whenever his name was called upon.
RB: Conor Bradley—8.0: The academy graduate was sensational for a second season in a row against Real Madrid. He did a brilliant job containing Vinícius Júnior.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—7.3: Ibou looked confident defensively, stifling his in-form national team teammate Kylian Mbappé throughout the game.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—6.9: Liverpool’s skipper rarely had to intervene, barely breaking a sweat all game.
LB: Andy Robertson—7.4: A mature performance from the Scot covering the left flank, though it must be said Real Madrid rarely tested him down the wing.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.3: Never caught out of position and his six successful recoveries were the most of any player on the pitch.
CM: Alexis Mac Allister—8.3: He dominated in midfield, nullifying Arda Güler and crowned his performance scoring against Los Blancos for the second straight season.
RW: Mohamed Salah—7.4: Álvaro Carreras got the better of Salah all night, compromising his ability to influence Liverpool’s attack.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai—8.1: Yet another stellar performance from the Hungary international. Although he was frustrated by Thibaut Courtois’s brilliance in goal, he set up Liverpool’s winner with a brilliant assist.
LW: Florian Wirtz—7.9: It was a positive showing by the summer recruit, exiting the game after creating the most dangerous chances on the night with five. Arguably his best game in Liverpool colours.
ST: Hugo Ekitiké—6.3: It was a difficult night for him, battling against Madrid’s centre backs all game without any clear chances to find the back of the net. He was also careless whenever the ball was at his feet.
Subs not used: Kornel Misciur (GK), Freddie Woodman (GK), Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Rio Ngumoha.
Real Madrid (4-1-4-1)
Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras; Aurélien Tchouaméni; Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior; Kylian Mbappé.
Subs used: Rodrygo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Brahim Díaz.
Player of the Match: Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool 1–0 Real Madrid: How It Unfolded at Anfield
Arne Slot made just one change to the lineup that ended Liverpool’s worst run of domestic form in over 70 years with a 2–0 win against Aston Villa last weekend. Gakpo made way for Wirtz to start against former manager Xabi Alonso.
It was a hard-fought opening 30 minutes where actions inside either penalty area were essentially non-existent. Szoboszlai had the first big chance of the night when he was played through on goal, but Courtois was quick to react to keep the game scoreless with a fantastic save.
A controversial decision denied Liverpool from a potential penalty. Tchouaméni appeared to block a shot with his hand, but the referee deemed the Frenchman’s action wasn’t worthy of pointing to the spot after a lengthy VAR check.
Mac Allister and Szoboszlai continued to try their luck with long distance shots before the break, but the Belgian goalkeeper continues his fine showing between the sticks.
The Courtois show resumed immediately out of the tunnel. This time it was Virgil van Dijk who saw his close-range effort stopped by the Real Madrid man with another stunning save.
Liverpool’s insistence eventually resulted in the game’s opener. A pinpoint cross from Szoboszlai was met in the air by Mac Allister, firing a powerful header to finally find a way past Courtois 63 minutes into the game.
Alexis Mac Allister breaks the deadlock and Anfield ERUPTS 💥 pic.twitter.com/I91a1C70oU
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 4, 2025
The Reds continued to frustrate any Real Madrid advances. Slot’s side defended with character and poise. In fact, it was Liverpool who had the most dangerous opportunities down the stretch.
The introduction of former Liverpool player Alexander-Arnold only ignited a passionate Anfield crowd in the last 10 minutes of the match.
In the end, Mac Allister’s header sufficed to ensure Liverpool ended Real Madrid’s perfect record in the 2025–26 Champions League league phase, defeating Los Blancos at Anfield for the second season in a row.
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid Halftime Stats
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid Full Time Stats
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Real Madrid: Reds Rise to Occasion With Statement Win.