Alexis Mac Allister supplied the spark as Liverpool fought back from two goals behind to defeat Villarreal at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League.
Andoni Iraola’s team suffered through a woeful opening half-hour, but Alexis Mac Allister’s goal gave them hope, and then Rio Ngumoha set up Ronald Araujo to equalize right before halftime.
After the break, eighteen-year-old Ngumoha did brilliantly to set up Mac Allister as Liverpool took the lead for the first time, and then Florian Wirtz netted his first club goal of the season.
In the end, Iraola’s side secured a third win from three in Europe, though they certainly made hard work of it.
Iraola made six changes from Saturday’s win at Brentford, with Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola, and Wirtz among those dropping to the bench, and Liverpool were punished immediately after a sloppy start.
Renato Veiga played a long ball that Virgil van Dijk should have handled, but the captain’s header back to Alisson was weak and was intercepted by Georges Mikautadze, who finished with his left foot to put Villarreal ahead.
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Nathan Saliba then played a simple ball through the middle of Liverpool’s defense, and Sergi Cardona slotted past Alisson, sending the 700 travelling fans into raptures.
Iraola’s side pulled one back in the 36th minute when Mac Allister headed in from Kostas Tsimikas’ corner, and then Araujo met a delightful dinked ball from Ngumoha to bring Liverpool level.
Araujo was replaced by Wirtz at the start of the second half, with Ryan Gravenberch shifting to right-back, and Liverpool were much improved from then on.
Ngumoha beat Cardona and teed up Mac Allister for a tap-in to give Liverpool the lead before Wirtz doubled their advantage with a left-footed finish.
There was a late fright when Tani Oluwaseyi got on the end of Ayoze Perez’s ball to make it 4-3, but Liverpool held on.
