Liverpool maintained their perfect Champions League start with a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over Villarreal at Anfield on Tuesday night, recovering from a two-goal deficit in a seven-goal thriller, UEFA's official result service confirms.
The visitors stunned the home crowd through Georges Mikautadze in the fourth minute — after a misjudged Virgil van Dijk header, according to The Telegraph — and Sergi Cardona doubled the lead in the 29th minute. Alexis Mac Allister pulled one back in the 36th minute and Ronald Araujo levelled in first-half stoppage time, both strikes set up by teenage winger Rio Ngumoha.
Mac Allister struck again in the 65th minute, once more assisted by Ngumoha, to put the hosts ahead for the first time, before Florian Wirtz added a fourth three minutes later. Villarreal refused to fade and Tani Oluwaseyi reduced the deficit in the 87th minute, but Liverpool held on to join PSG on nine points at the top of the league-phase table.
Manager Andoni Iraola had rotated heavily, leaving Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola on the bench, and Sky Sports noted it was the first time in a quarter of a century that Liverpool had fallen behind so early at Anfield in a major European tie. Yet the comeback papered over defensive concerns: Liverpool have now conceded seven goals in three European games this season after last week's 6-3 win at LASK.
The victory was not without its warnings for Iraola. On the positive side, Wirtz's goal will ease scrutiny after the debate over the German's form featured among the week's talking points. Liverpool host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday, while Villarreal travel to Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, according to Oddsivio's fixture data.