Alexis McAllister stakes claim for new Liverpool contract with winner against Atletico Madrid
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring the winner. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
ALEXIS MacAllister must hope that actions speak louder than words when it comes to securing a new Liverpool contract.
Just a day after revealing 'sadness' at the Anfield club's apparent unwillingness to offer him an extension to the two years remaining on his current deal in the wake of team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch being afforded such a luxury, the Argentine midfielder responded in the best possible way to cap a memorable comeback by Andoni Iraola's side.
Szoboszlai hauled the hosts level before MacAllister took centre stage in front of the Kop as Liverpool struck either side of half-time against opponents who have now won just four of their 16 matches against Premier League sides in the last six years.
A stoppage-time Virgil van Dijk header proved decisive when the teams shared five goals in a breathless contest at the outset of last season's Champions League. Some 12 months on, the attacking intent of both sides soon became evident in front of a record Anfield crowd for a European tie of 60,216.
Alexander Isak should have broken the deadlock inside 60 seconds when his run into the area was picked out by Szoboszlai only for the Swede to pull his angled drive across the face of goal.
The Spaniards struggled to cope with the fluid movement of Liverpool's forward line and when on his full debut Bradley Barcola ran onto another searching through ball into the Madrid area, it took a smart block from Jan Oblak to keep out the Frenchman's lofted effort.
Oblak's impressive work was rewarded when his side took a 17th minute lead against the run of play.
Liverpool paid for failing to press their opponents and when Julian Alvarez put Marcos Llorente through, the full-back masquerading as a winger left a slumbering Milos Kerkez for dead to confidently plant the opening goal past an exposed Alisson from 18 yards. Of Llorente's 10 goals in the competition, five have now come against the six-time European Champions.
Only a fine diving save from Liverpool's Brazilian keeper prevented a long-range effort from Alvarez doubling the advantage as the hosts' unwillingness or inability to deny the visitors time and space became worryingly apparent in a ridiculously open contest.
Liverpool gradually upped their workrate to regain the ascendency and were level five minutes before the interval as Kerkez partially atoned for his unwanted role in the opening goal.
The full-back tenaciously won the ball midway in the Madrid half and when Barcola's shot was saved, a deft flick from Ronald Araujo set up Szoboszlai to beat Oblak with a confident low finish.
In a second-half largely bereft of chances, the comeback was complete five minutes after the break.
Barcola had just wasted a golden chance to put Liverpool ahead at the culmination of a four-man counter-attack, but that was forgotten when from a deflected Rio Ngumoha cross, MacAllister let fly from 25 yards to find the bottom corner in stunning style with a goal arguably worthy of a new contract.
Alisson 7; Araujo 8, Jacquet 6, van Dijk 6, Kerkez 5 (Tsimikas 88, 6); Szoboszlai 7, MacAllister 8 (Gravenberch 69, 6); Ngumoha 5 (Frimpong 60, 5), Wirtz 5, Barcola 5 (Munoz 60, 6); Isak 5 (Koumas 88, 6).
Oblak 8; Llorente 8, Romero 6 (Le Normand 77, 6), Pubill 6, Hancko 5; Simeone 4, Barrios 6 (Hjulmand 77, 6) Koke 6 (Lookman 59, 5), Baena 6 (David 74, 5); Lee Kang-in 3 (Grimaldo 59, 6), Alvarez 7.
Massa (Italy).
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