Taunting Trent & brilliant Bradley – the night Liverpool fully moved on

Trent Alexander-Arnold, the neighborhood boy who left Liverpool behind, received a brutal and hostile reminder of his fall from grace while Conor Bradley was driven by the full force of Anfield’s adoration.

The stage was set once the fates of the two European superpowers were paired together in the Champions League because Bradley had been designated as Alexander-Arnold’s heir apparent from the moment he made his decision to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid.

What a contrast, as the 22-year-old Northern Ireland right-back was the shining example of a Liverpool display that harked back to their Premier League dominance as Real Madrid was swept aside.

Alexander-Arnold, who started on the bench, was unapologetically questioned by the fans who once criticized “the Scouser in our team.”

The words “Adios El Rata” were used before the game to the Anfield anger caused by what many Liverpool supporters saw as his betrayal, leading to an unrelenting ill-feeling directed at Alexander-Arnold’s direction.

With a magnificent display that reduced the formidable Vinicius Jr. to a passenger, only able to perform theatrics, and poor theatrics, in the face of the youngster’s physical dominance, Bradley actually fueled the fury and scorn directed in Alexander-Arnold’s direction.

Every Bradley tackle received a cheering ovation, every pass received an approval from Anfield, and his name was chanted enthusiastically by Alexander-Arnold as a voluble reminder that he had just arrived in town and that he had become a recognizable figure from the past.

Unsurprisingly, Bradley gained the admiration of Arne Slot, the head coach.

If Alexander-Arnold’s mural’s insults did not alert him to what lay ahead, he was left in no doubt when he walked on to warm up as one of Real Madrid’s substitutes before kick-off, with jeers ringing around Anfield and a loud disapproval when his name was read out.

And just as it appeared he might get away from the full-on rage, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso called him in the 81st minute as they tried to equalize Liverpool’s lead, which Alex Mac Allister had just scored from.

The mocking jeers that greeted a late cross that drifted aimlessly out of play and Alexander-Arnold’s arrival were both mocking.

Liverpool’s fans echoed Alexander-Arnold’s unhappy cameo, with former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard observing from the stands as he remained loyal despite temptations and opportunities to leave.

This was Bradley’s and Liverpool’s nights, the kind of night Anfield enjoys when their former star turned up the volume even more potently with its presence.

And Liverpool, who had lost six of their previous seven games before Aston Villa were defeated on Saturday, delivered a performance that was easily their best this season, a timely reminder of the accomplishment that led them to the title.

Slot praised Liverpool’s return to winning ways, saying: “It’s nicer if you win games than it is if you lose as manager. You spend all of your time trying to be the same manager and person you were when you won, but it also takes up your time because you genuinely want to change things.

I responded, “I did the same,” explaining that winning football games requires a lot of set-piece balance. Aside from the Villa game, which we won, our open-play chance creation was effective all season.

With a stunning individual performance that brought back memories of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s defeat in the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, it was only Thibaut Courtois’ brilliant Real keeper’s shadow that threatened to stop Liverpool from receiving what they merited.

Before even he was powerless to stop Mac Allister’s header from the Hungarian’s free kick, the Belgian made a string of magnificent saves, including four from Dominik Szoboszlai and four from Virgil van Dijk’s remarkable reflex stop.

These crucial three points, which place Liverpool in sixth place in the Champions League table, will prevent them from reaching the last 16 if maintained, do not touch the sides of their dominance from the beginning.

Florian Wirtz added some of the subtle touches that made his name at Bayer Leverkusen while Szoboszlai and Mac Allister ruled midfield. A constant threat, Hugo Ekitike.

As Kylian Mbappe was marginalized, Liverpool were rock solid at the back, putting on a terrible, error-strewn display, unlike so often this season. Before the conclusion, Vinceius had already been defeated by Bradley.

Jude Bellingham, who was given the Anfield stage to show off a reminder of his class before England head coach Thomas Tuchel names his squad to face Serbia and Albania after excluding him last time, did not do much better.

He was anonymous because Real failed to establish any sort of stranglehold in the first half despite giving Giorgi Mamardashvili a chance in the opening period when he forced him to save with his legs.

Although he was not the only one there, Bellingham made the error and conceded the free-kick in a dangerous position that caused Mac Allister’s goal, offering little as Real attempted to reclaim their lead.

He expressed sympathy for Alexander-Arnold, saying, “Of course, it’s one of those things in football.” The fans’ booing doesn’t reflect how they feel about him.

I believe the purpose is to give their team some edge and a little bit off him. They will appreciate what he has accomplished for the club, I’m sure of my assurance.