Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result and final score from Anfield blockbuster

After beating the team 20th in the Premier League, Liverpool defeated the side 24th in the Champions League. The similarities may end there: it is scarcely a surprise Southampton occupy that station in England. But Real Madrid, the reigning champions of Europe, find themselves 24th after five rounds.

The position has a certain significance in a new format; they are hovering about the second dotted line. A side who began the competition as favourites, along with Manchester City, now instead risk the embarrassment of failing to even get the safety net of a play-off place. If Real initially thought their fixture list would not include a European double header in February, now they must hope it does. The alternative is the embarrassment of crashing out of continental competition altogether.

Jude Bellingham has insisted Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty was not the decisive factor in Real Madrid’s loss to Liverpool tonight.

“I think to be fair, from the first minute they took control of the game,” he told TNT Sports. “We never took advantage of our spells in the game, we tried to force it and turned the ball over too many times. I thought they were more up for it, which was disappointing.

“It’s a bad result against probably the best-performing team in Europe. There is no disgrace in losing here but we are not happy with it.

“The penalty is a big moment in the game, but he’s wonderful player and the pressure he holds his huge. The penalty is not the reason he lost the game, they were better than us. Kylian can hold his head high, he is going to produce many moments that are huge for this club.”

Carlo Ancelotti admitted defeat to Liverpool was a “fair result” as Real Madrid were humbled at Anfield.

“Liverpool deserved to win,” he said. “They have a real good dynamic they are in great form, connected playing with a high intensity.

“We did okay in the first half, we held them, set up well as a unit and tried to create our own opportunities but made the wrong decisions when going forward.

“We fought up until the point of the penalty. We competed well until that point but we have to keep going be competitive fight for everything there are things we have to improve of course, we will and nothing more.”

Less than a third of the campaign gone: season over? Some would have you believe so, on the back of Liverpool going eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and Manchester City managing to make it five straight defeats, for the first time in Pep Guardiola’s career, after a home thrashing by Tottenham.

The contrasting form guide of both teams at the top means Liverpool look uncatchable to some - but with so many matches to play there’s still plenty of scope for them to have their own bad spell.

More poignantly perhaps, Liverpool face Manchester City in their very next league game; City can change the narrative considerably if they win that match of course, while the Reds going 11 clear of their biggest rivals with a win themselves will only add to the feeling the trophy will be heading back to Merseyside.

Real Madrid are in a battle to make the top-24 of the Champions League and reach the knockout stages after falling to a third defeat in five this season.

The holders have six points from five games, putting them right on the cusp in 24th, and with difficult fixtures still to come.

Madrid must go to Atalanta next, followed by RB Salzburg and Brest. Certainly, the top-eight looks beyond them.

”This game today wasn’t a decisive game in terms of our league position, it was always going to be tough to finish in the top eight,” Ancelotti said.

“We have to make sure we are in the next 24 as high as we can and we will be there.”

Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid would support Kylian Mbappe, who he said was having a “difficult moment” after missing a penalty in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.

Mbappe’s struggles since signing for Madrid in the summer continued as he was marked out of the game by Conor Bradley before Caoimhin Kelleher saved his spot-kick.

“This has happened before in my career many times, forwards when you are a striker you want to score and get a bit of confidence,” Ancelotti said.

“There is a medicine which is a difficult moment for him, I think Mbappe it is a difficult moment we have to support him and give him our love, he will soon be fine.

“It could be a lack of confidence maybe, sometimes maybe when you have moments when things aren’t working out, the idea is to keep things simple, don’t complicate life.

“You don’t need to blame him for missing penalties, people miss penalties, it happens a lot.”

Arne Slot said his Liverpool team “want more” after being asked if the Reds are currently the best team in Europe.

“The ones (players) here for a long time are almost used to playing a final, this team has always been there,” Slot said after the win over Real Madrid.

“The last two years have maybe been different but it was only a few adjustments and we are only five games in in a new format.

“We are happy where we are but not getting carried away by winning a group-stage game. This club wants more.”

Liverpool top the Champions League with five wins from five and are on the verge of securing a place in the last 16 but Arne Slot said the win would mean much more if it came in the knockout stages.

“I think it is always good to win a game and especially a big game like this, you know you face so many quality players,” Slot said.

“This is such a strange and different setup in the Champions League it is difficult to judge how important these wins are.

“If we meet them in the last 16 and then we are able to beat them it would be a bigger statement.”

Arne Slot was pleased to beat a Real Madrid team who have been a “pain in the ass” for Liverpool for several years but played down the significance of the 2-0 victory.

After seven defeats and a draw – including losses in the 2018 and 2022 finals – the Reds gained their first success over their European nemesis since 2009 with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.

“I wouldn’t say it is the same as any other one because you know how special it is to play against a club that won this Champions League so many times and are the reigning champions as well, dominated Europe for the last few years and were a pain in the ass for Liverpool many times as well,” he told TNT Sports.