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Conor Bradley was driven by the full force from Liverpool's faithful, whereas Trent Alexander-Arnold – the hometown hero who left Liverpool behind – received a stark and negative reaction regarding his changed status.

Bradley was earmarked to fill the void left after his departure was confirmed to leave Liverpool towards the Spanish giants, when destiny brought both elite clubs face-to-face in Europe, all was ready.

It proved a stark difference it was as the 22-year-old Northern Ireland right-back became the emblem of a Liverpool display that harked back to their Premier League title-winning best while Real Madrid were overwhelmed.

The substitute Alexander-Arnold on the bench, constantly received in no doubt how the fans who once sang about 'the Scouser in our team' now regard him.

It was a day of unrelenting ill-feeling targeted at Alexander-Arnold, starting with his public artwork damaged displaying critical phrases before the game and the stadium's fury provoked by what many the faithful view as a breach of trust.

The young defender amplified the rage and criticism targeted at his predecessor with a magnificent display which minimized the threat of Brazilian star to an observer, limited to dramatic actions – unconvincing antics – in the face of the defender's superior strength.

All his interventions received roaring approval, every pass greeted with crowd support, vocals celebrating him passionately, not only for his performance but as a voluble reminder to Alexander-Arnold that there was a new kid at the club, establishing him as part of history.

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

The defender was magnificent, stated the coach. Facing Vinicius in numerous individual duels is not for everyone, but he was outstanding.

Had the graffiti displayed on Alexander-Arnold's mural failed to warn him of what was awaiting him, there was unmistakable evidence when he trotted on among Real Madrid's substitutes ahead of the game, jeers ringing around Anfield, the sound of disapproval occurring once more during called.

And just when it looked he could avoid the full-scale vitriol, the visiting team's manager brought him on as a late replacement as they tried to level the Reds' margin, rightfully earned by by Alex Mac Allister's header just after the hour.

Reaction to Trent's entrance proved brutal, including derisive boos following a poor delivery that drifted aimlessly into touch.

Trent's disappointing appearance happened during the crowd referencing of those who had stayed loyal through potential moves to depart Liverpool, namely former captain Steven Gerrard, present in the crowd.

The evening belonged to Liverpool, Bradley's night – exactly the type of occasion the stadium loves with their ex-player's return became extra fuel to turn up the volume.

The Reds, previously struggling following poor results prior to defeating Villa last weekend, delivered a display that represented their peak during this campaign, a timely reminder of the quality that saw them secure the trophy.

Slot appreciated the response to successful results, saying: It is nicer if you win games rather than losing matches. If you lose, then it takes your complete attention since you desperately need to reverse the trend, yet you attempt to stay consistent and character amid victories.

It was only the shadow of the talented shot-stopper the Belgian who almost denied the Reds the justified outcome, through an outstanding personal display which recalled previous encounters of how he defied them during their defeat under Klopp the continental decider at the Stade de France.

Courtois produced several outstanding stops, featuring denials against Szoboszlai and an amazing instinctive block from Virgil van Dijk's header, before finally being beaten to stop Mac Allister's header from the Hungarian's free-kick.

Liverpool's narrow victory margin hardly reflects their domination from first whistle to last, these crucial three points elevating them to sixth in the Champions League table, a placement that would guarantee direct qualification avoiding the requirement for additional matches if sustained.

Szoboszlai and Mac Allister ruled the center of the park, as Wirtz delivered some of the subtle touches that made his name at Bayer Leverkusen. Hugo Ekitike was a constant menace across ninety minutes.

The Reds, contrasting with previous this season, rock solid in defense as Kylian Mbappe was marginalised, producing a poor, mistake-filled performance. Vinicius was outperformed by the defender early on.

Although representing a tough occasion for the defender, the situation proved similarly challenging for the English midfielder, offered the Anfield stage to deliver a reminder his quality prior to the Three Lions boss selects his roster for the upcoming internationals after excluding him last time.

He provided one moment of danger in the first half testing the shot-stopper to save with his legs, but was otherwise anonymous {as Real failed to establish|