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Liverpool vs. Real Madrid final score: UEFA Champions League result, stats as Kylian Mbappe toils in Reds victory

Joe Wright

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Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League defence is looking vulnerable in the extreme following a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at a raucous Anfield.

The reigning European champions were deservedly beaten by Arne Slot's Premier League leaders as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo each scored in the second half.7

Liverpool led 1-0 when Kylian Mbappe had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot, but his tame effort was comfortably saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, underlining a particularly poor performance from the France star as he failed to get any joy out of Conor Bradley.

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Mohamed Salah also missed from 12 yards before Gakpo's header sealed Liverpool's fifth consecutive Champions League win this season, with Slot's team looking certainties to qualify for the Round of 16.

Madrid, meanwhile, sit 24th in the league and are in genuine danger of not going through to the knockouts, while coach Carlo Ancelotti's position is likely to come under significant scrutiny.

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Liverpool vs. Real Madrid final score

	Fulltime	Goalscorers
Liverpool	2	Mac Allister 52', Gakpo 76'
Real Madrid	0

Venue: Anfield, Liverpool (UK)
Referee: Francois Letexier (France)

Lineups:

Liverpool (4-3-3, right to left): 62. Caoimhin Kelleher (GK) — 84. Conor Bradley (2. Joe Gomez), 5. Ibrahima Konate, 4. Virgil van Dijk, 26. Andy Robertson — 38. Ryan Gravenberch, 10. Alexis Mac Allister, 17. Curtis Jones (8. Dominik Szoboszlai) — 11. Mohamed Salah, 9. Darwin Nunez (18. Cody Gakpo), 7. Luis Diaz

Real Madrid (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Thibaut Courtois (GK) — 8. Federico Valverde, 35. Raul Asencio, 22. Antonio Rudiger, 23. Ferland Mendy (20. Fran Garcia) — 10. Luka Modric (16. Endrick), 6. Eduardo Camavinga (19. Dani Ceballos), 5. Jude Bellingham — 15. Arda Guler (17. Lucas Vazquez), 21. Brahim Diaz, 9. Kylian Mbappe

MORE: Liverpool's all-time record vs. Real Madrid makes for bad reading for Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool's first home win over Madrid since 2009 certainly did not look like a guarantee in an even and competitive first half, although the Reds had the best of the chances through Darwin Nunez, who was thwarted by Thibaut Courtois from close range.

The stalemate was broken seven minutes after the restart, Mac Allister combining with Bradley before drilling a precise low finish through a crowded penalty area to send the Kop into raptures. Madrid's difficulties were compounded when Camavinga went off with an apparent hamstring issue, adding a further name to their worrying injury list.

Mbappe had endured a difficult time against Bradley and Ibrahima Konate, but when Andy Robertson tripped Lucas Vazquez in the box, Madrid's No. 9  had the chance to level the scores and silence the Anfield boos. Instead, his tame effort was well saved by Kelleher.

Salah stunned the home fans when he failed to hit the target with a spot-kick of his own after he had been felled by Ferland Mendy, but Liverpool never looked shaken from their stride. Once Gakpo had risen unmarked to head in Robertson's cross, the game was over.

Liverpool now look the team to beat both at home and in Europe, and a troubled Manchester City are the next team to visit this weekend. For Madrid and Mbappe, this result cast further doubt over their credentials to win major prizes this season