Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal: Ngumoha inspires comeback as Mac Allister scores twice

Liverpool came from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on Tuesday and keep their perfect start in the Champions League league phase. Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha set up two goals and Florian Wirtz came off the bench to score his first club goal of the season.

Match facts

• Result: Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal (half-time 2-2)
• Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Matchday 3
• Venue: Anfield, Liverpool (attendance 59,610)
• Scorers: Liverpool - Mac Allister 36', 65', Araújo 45+2', Wirtz 68'; Villarreal - Mikautadze 4', Cardona 29', Oluwaseyi 87'
• Assists: Liverpool - Tsimikas (36'), Ngumoha (45+2', 65'), Gakpo (68'); Villarreal - Saliba (29'), Ayoze Pérez (87')
• Red cards: None
• Next: Liverpool v Brighton (Premier League), Sunday 25 October; Villarreal v Paris Saint-Germain (Tuesday 3 November) and Fenerbahçe v Liverpool (Wednesday 4 November) in the Champions League

How the match unfolded

Andoni Iraola made six changes from Saturday's 2-1 win at Brentford, with Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola and Wirtz among the substitutes, and his side were punished inside four minutes. Captain Virgil van Dijk's header back to Alisson fell short and Georges Mikautadze stole in to score from a tight angle on the left.

Villarreal doubled their lead in the 29th minute. Nathan Saliba's through ball split the Liverpool defence on the counter and Sergi Cardona slotted a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Alberto Moleiro and Santiago Mouriño were booked for the visitors in the first half.

Liverpool's comeback began in the 36th minute, when Mac Allister rose to meet Kostas Tsimikas' corner and glanced a header into the far corner. Mac Allister also went close with a long-range drive and a free-kick, and deep into first-half stoppage time Ronald Araújo, on loan from Barcelona, headed in Ngumoha's cross at the back post to make it 2-2.

Wirtz replaced Araújo at the interval, with Ryan Gravenberch moving to right-back, and Liverpool dominated the second half. Villarreal goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi kept out efforts from Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Wirtz before Ngumoha skipped past two challenges on the right and set up Mac Allister, whose close-range finish went in off the crossbar in the 65th minute.

Three minutes later Gakpo released Wirtz on a fast break and the Germany international found the bottom corner with his left foot. Ngumoha left to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Barcola in the 74th minute. Ayoze Pérez, on as a substitute, hit the post before crossing for fellow replacement Tani Oluwaseyi to volley in at the back post three minutes from time, but Liverpool held on through stoppage time.

What it means

Liverpool have now won all three league-phase games, following a 2-1 home win over Atlético Madrid and a 6-3 victory at LASK last week. Their 12 goals take them to nine points, second in the table behind only Paris Saint-Germain after Tuesday's matches, and the win was their third in a row in all competitions.

Ngumoha, named UEFA's Player of the Match, became the youngest player to provide an assist for Liverpool in the Champions League, according to BBC Sport.

Iñigo Pérez's Villarreal stay on three points after a 3-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund and a 3-1 home win over Napoli. They arrived at Anfield after a 1-0 La Liga defeat at Real Madrid earlier this month.

What's next

Liverpool host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday (14:00 UK) and Chelsea in the League Cup on Wednesday 28 October, then travel to Fenerbahçe on Wednesday 4 November (17:45 UK). Villarreal visit Valencia in La Liga on Saturday before hosting Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday 3 November (20:00 UK).

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