BREAKING Liverpool depend on chaotic late winner once more to avoid wasting Arne Slot’s blushes as Isak struggles

Liverpool rescued another victory as they beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 despite seeing their two-goal lead disappear.

The Reds started their Champions League campaign at Anfield in the same chaotic fashion that they’ve played their opening Premier League games in.

While Alexander Isak made his Reds debut from the start, Mohamed Salah made sure everyone knows who the main man is. In his pre-match interview, Arne Slot said that Isak didn’t feature against Burnley, so he could be fully prepared for this Champions League tie.

But ultimately, he didn’t need to be, as Liverpool bizarrely took the lead after just four minutes. Salah mis-hit a free kick from the edge of the box, which smashed into Andy Robertson, with the left-back unknowingly deflecting the ball into the back of the net.

While Salah’s free-kick effort resembled a child attempting to throw a ball with their weak arm, there was nothing to mock about the second, which came just two minutes later.

Receiving the ball on the right touchline, Salah drove inside and played a one-two with Ryan Gravenberch. Salah continued his run in behind the Atletico backline to latch onto the end of the Dutchman’s pass and slot past Jan Oblak, in a much more appealing goal on the eye.

Liverpool’s early goals left them in command of the game, and that position was almost strengthened when the most ridiculous penalty was awarded to the hosts by referee Maurizio Mariani.

Clement Lenglet was adjudged to have knocked Jeremie Frimpong’s cross behind for a corner with his hand; however, replays clearly showed that the ball clearly hit the middle of the defender’s midriff.

Eventually, the correct decision was reached when Mariani went to the screen after VAR recommended an on-field review. The referee did a good job of not looking overly embarrassed as technology played its part in a mercifully quick decision.

And the La Liga side would have been even more grateful for VAR’s intervention when the game was sparked back into life, as Marcos Llorente stabbed an effort home from inside the box in the third minute of added time at the end of the first half.

The goal ironically came in the additional time that was largely added on for the bogus penalty decision and subsequent review.

Llorente’s strike changed the mood of the game, with Diego Simeone’s side finding an extra spring while the home crowd became nervously quiet.

And it too played on Slot’s mind as he opted to make a triple change before the hour mark, seeing Isak replaced after a very quiet debut.

The Swede’s only minutes since the final game of the last Premier League season came on international duty off the bench after making himself an outcast at Newcastle, and despite a rather nothing debut, the signs for Isak look bright.

We might be waiting a few weeks to see the real player that Liverpool splashed £125million on, but the British record signing looked a lot sharper than a player who hasn’t properly played in four months normally would.

Slot introduced Hugo Ekitike for Isak and also called upon Alexis Mac Allister and Conor Bradley for Cody Gakpo and Frimpong.

Salah could’ve quashed any doubts when Dominik Szoboszlai and Ekitike combined to tee the Egyptian up from 12 yards out, but Salah smashed his effort against the post.

And the winger’s missed chance came back to bite Liverpool as Atletico equalised with a cracking volley from Llorente, whose strike deflected off Mac Allister. The midfielder doubled up on the night to haunt Liverpool again after he previously scored twice at Anfield in 2020 when Atleti dumped the Reds out of the competition.

As it has been all season so far, however, Liverpool left it until the death to save their blushes as Virgil van Dijk headed in the winner in the second minute of added time.

The goal sparked chaos on the touchline as Simeone was sent off for seemingly getting involved in an alteraction with a fan in the stand before he was sent off.

Ekitike had the chance to add a fourth, but missed an open goal from Salah’s cut back just to add more drama to the injury time.

Liverpool were far from convincing again. It remains to be seen how long they can rely on late moments to win them games.