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Conor Bradley was driven by the full force from Liverpool's faithful, as Alexander-Arnold – the hometown hero who moved on from Anfield – received a stark and unwelcome reception of his fall from grace.

The young defender was marked as Alexander-Arnold's heir apparent after his departure was confirmed to exit Anfield to join Real Madrid, so once the fates paired both elite clubs competing in the tournament, the stage was set.

A dramatic comparison emerged with the Northern Irish full-back became the emblem in a Liverpool performance which reminded everyone from their dominant seasons while Real Madrid were overwhelmed.

The substitute Alexander-Arnold from the sidelines, throughout faced a clear message about the supporters who previously chanted his local hero status now regard him.

It was a day of unrelenting ill-feeling targeted at Alexander-Arnold, starting with his public artwork damaged displaying critical phrases prior to kickoff plus the crowd's rage caused by behavior which the faithful view as his betrayal.

The young defender amplified the anger and disdain aimed in Alexander-Arnold's direction through an outstanding performance which minimized the threat of Brazilian star to an observer, limited to dramatic actions – unconvincing antics – confronting the defender's superior strength.

Each defensive challenge was cheered to the echo, each distribution met by positive reactions, vocals celebrating him with gusto, not just for his own efforts and as a clear signal to Alexander-Arnold that a new talent had emerged at the club, confirming he was now from a previous era.

Expectedly, Bradley, garnered praise by the team's boss.

The defender was magnificent, stated the coach. To be up against Vinicius in multiple direct confrontations is not for everyone, but he was outstanding.

Assuming the vandalized messages on Alexander-Arnold's mural hadn't alerted him about the reception awaiting, he was left in no doubt during his warm-up to warm-up as one of the visiting team's reserves prior to the start, boos echoing through the stadium, the negative reception repeated when his name announced.

At the moment when he would miss the full-scale vitriol, the Spanish side's coach brought him on as an 81st-minute substitute while attempting to equalize Liverpool's lead, rightfully earned by Mac Allister's headed goal just after the hour.

Reception for the substitute proved brutal, as were the mocking jeers after an errant pass that drifted aimlessly beyond the boundary.

Trent's disappointing appearance occurred alongside of Liverpool's fans reminding him individuals showing commitment amid transfer interest to depart Liverpool, namely former captain Steven Gerrard, observing from the seats.

The evening belonged to Liverpool, the defender's showcase – a classic Anfield atmosphere amid the comeback of their past hero acted as an even more potent catalyst to turn up the volume.

The team, earlier inconsistent with six defeats in seven games prior to defeating Villa on Saturday, produced a showing which ranked among their finest during this campaign, a crucial indication of the quality that saw them secure the trophy.

Slot relished Liverpool's return to winning ways, stating: Winning matches proves more enjoyable compared to defeats for a coach. Defeats consume your complete attention since you desperately need to change it, yet you attempt to maintain your approach and person that you are when you are winning.

Merely the presence of the talented shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois that threatened prevented Liverpool from achieving the justified outcome, via a remarkable showing which recalled previous encounters where he stopped them during their defeat under Klopp the continental decider at the Stade de France.

The Belgian made a string of magnificent saves, featuring denials against Szoboszlai and an amazing instinctive block from the defender's headed attempt, before even he was powerless by the Argentine's aerial finish after the midfielder's delivery.

The close scoreline hardly reflects their complete control throughout, these crucial three points moving them to sixth position in the Champions League table, a position that should secure knockout stage advancement avoiding the requirement for additional matches if sustained.

Szoboszlai and Mac Allister ruled the engine room, while Florian Wirtz provided creative flourishes during his German career. Hugo Ekitike was a constant menace across ninety minutes.

The team, differing from typical earlier shows, completely secure at the back as Kylian Mbappe was marginalised, producing a poor, mistake-filled performance. The Brazilian was defeated by Conor well before full-time.

If it was a miserable night for Alexander-Arnold, it was not much better for the English midfielder, presented with the Anfield platform to demonstrate again his quality before England head coach announces his team to face Serbia and Albania after being left out recently.

The midfielder produced one opportunity during the opening period testing the shot-stopper to save with his legs, but offered little else {as Real failed to establish|