Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid: Four in a row for Liverpool as Mac Allister seals the win against Atletico

Liverpool thrash Atletico Madrid as record signing Bradley Barcola makes his Champions League debut for the Reds.

There is plenty of history between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid as clubs, much like the managers, Andoni Iraola and Diego Simeone. 

Today, history continued to favour the Reds, making it four wins in a row over Atletico Madrid, as Iraola claimed his first Champions League win in charge of Liverpool, edging out the visitors 2-1 at Anfield.

Liverpool pressed from the whistle, Alexander Isak moving with real intent early on.

But it was Atletico who struck first, Marcos Llorente giving the visitors the lead, continuing his personal habit at Anfield, adding to his tally of goals.

Simeone went first with a double change, and Iraola matched him, though his change involving Bradley Barcola came for grimmer reasons, the winger unable to continue after appearing to slip, but departed to warm applause.

Liverpool came out for the second half transformed, the kind of turnaround that suggested an emphatic team talk at the break. 

Speaking after the match, Iraola pointed to a structural fix: the team had been too disjointed and too far from their opponents in the first half, but with a proper shape restored, his players were pressing closer and arriving on the ball far better. 

The shift in the stands followed the shift on the pitch, Anfield lifting as Liverpool found their rhythm.

It was a fitting stage for Alexis Mac Allister to get on the scoresheet, just a day after being dominated by questions over his contract future.

He answered those in the only way that matters, with the goal that turned the game Liverpool's way.

It's widely agreed that Iraola's half-time intervention had been decisive, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard praising how his side pressed "collectively together" after the break to leave

Atletico with far less space to work with. 

He also noted there's still work to do.

The win capped a night where the headlines belonged to Mac Allister, delivering when it mattered most just hours after his contract situation dominated the build-up.

The result keeps England's clubs perfect in this season's Champions League so far, and gives Iraola the perfect start to his first European campaign in charge at Anfield.

Next for Liverpool

Saturday, September 12: Fulham (Home), Premier League, 3pm BST, 10am ET