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Conor Bradley basked through the passionate backing from Liverpool's faithful, while Trent Alexander-Arnold – the Scouser who departed the club – received a stark and negative reaction of his fall from grace.

The young defender was marked as Alexander-Arnold's heir apparent ever since his departure was confirmed to leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid, as luck would have it these continental giants face-to-face in Europe, the stage was set.

And what a contrast when the young defender from Northern Ireland was the shining symbol during the Reds' showing that harked back to their Premier League title-winning best while Real Madrid were overwhelmed.

Trent, beginning on the bench, all the while was left a clear message about the supporters who previously chanted his former iconic role currently view him.

The occasion proved filled with persistent hostility directed towards the defender, from his mural near Anfield defaced with the words "Adios El Rata" before the game plus the crowd's rage sparked by actions that Liverpool fans regard as his betrayal.

Bradley actually fuelled the anger and disdain aimed in Alexander-Arnold's direction with a magnificent display which minimized the threat of opposing winger to a spectator, limited to dramatic actions – ineffective dramatics – against the defender's superior strength.

Every Bradley tackle drew loud applause, every pass greeted with Anfield's approval, supporters singing passionately, not just for his own efforts plus an audible message towards Trent that a new talent had emerged in town, that he was now firmly a figure from the past.

Bradley, unsurprisingly, earned plaudits of head coach Arne Slot.

Conor Bradley was outstanding, commented Slot. Competing with the Brazilian so many times one against one is not for everyone, but he handled it superbly.

If the insults daubed on the defender's tribute hadn't alerted him of what was awaiting him, he was left in no doubt when he trotted on among the visiting team's reserves ahead of the game, negative reactions filling the air, the critical response repeated when his name announced.

Just as it seemed like he might escape the full-scale vitriol, the visiting team's manager introduced him as an 81st-minute substitute as they tried to level the Reds' margin, deservedly given to them Mac Allister's headed goal early in the second half.

Reaction to Trent's entrance was savage, as were the mocking jeers after an errant pass which sailed harmlessly beyond the boundary.

The defender's brief, negative showing was played out to the sound the crowd referencing individuals showing commitment despite temptations and opportunities to depart Liverpool, particularly ex-skipper Gerrard, who watched on from the stands.

This match showcased Liverpool, Conor's moment – the sort of night Anfield revels in as the presence of their former star served as additional motivation to amplify the support.

And Liverpool, who had looked lost following poor results prior to defeating Villa last weekend, produced a showing which ranked among their finest in recent months, an important demonstration of the standard that helped them secure the trophy.

Slot relished Liverpool's return to successful results, commenting: Victories bring greater satisfaction rather than losing matches. Losses demand extensive focus since you desperately need to change it, yet you attempt to maintain your approach and person that you are during successful periods.

Solely the performance from the exceptional goalkeeper the Belgian who almost to stop Liverpool getting the justified outcome, via a remarkable showing which recalled previous encounters of how he defied them when Jurgen Klopp's team lost the European showpiece at the Stade de France.

The goalkeeper delivered multiple outstanding stops, including four from Dominik Szoboszlai and a remarkable reflex stop against Van Dijk's aerial effort, before finally being beaten from Mac Allister's headed goal after the midfielder's delivery.

The close scoreline barely represents their domination from first whistle to last, this significant victory pushing them into sixth place in the tournament ranking, a placement that would guarantee knockout stage advancement without the need to resort of extra games if continued.

The midfield duo dominated the center of the park, with Wirtz contributing elegant moments during his German career. Ekitike posed continuous threats across ninety minutes.

The Reds, contrasting with previous recent performances, extremely solid defensively as Kylian Mbappe was marginalised, producing a poor, mistake-filled performance. The Brazilian was defeated by Bradley long before the end.

Although representing a tough occasion for the defender, it was not much better for the English midfielder, presented with the Anfield platform to showcase once more his quality before England head coach Thomas Tuchel names his squad to face Serbia and Albania after excluding him last time.

The midfielder produced one opportunity in the first half when he forced Giorgi Mamardashvili to use his feet, but offered little else {as Real failed to establish|