Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid: Van Dijk the hero in latest rescue act

Liverpool celebrated yet another dramatic late win as Virgil van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header proved enough for a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in a topsy-turvy Champions League opener.

Arne Slot’s side have won each of their first four Premier League matches this season in similar fashion, although their performances have not always convinced.

Wednesday’s was the best Liverpool display of the season so far, however, with Alexander Isak appearing in the XI for his debut and Mohamed Salah inspiring a fast start.

Salah saw a free-kick deflected in by Andy Robertson, before the provider turned scorer after just six minutes, sweeping in following a one-two with Ryan Gravenberch.

Liverpool looked on course for a comfortable victory, only for an old Anfield foe to come to the fore again in Marcos Llorente.

He had scored twice as Atletico eliminated then-defending European champions Liverpool on Merseyside in 2019-20, and two more goals this time improbably brought the visitors level.

Llorente’s second, a deflected, 81st-minute strike, came after Liverpool had passed up a series of chances to wrap up victory, with Salah hitting the post not long after the hour, but Slot’s men appear to like doing things the hard way.

With record signing Isak long since replaced, it was left to captain Van Dijk to power in the last-gasp winner, after which Diego Simeone was sent off for an apparent altercation with some home fans.

Until the end. pic.twitter.com/VTf1FUiGzO

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 17, 2025

Data debrief: Liverpool start early and finish late

Given both the level of Liverpool’s overall performance, and the scoreline after six minutes, this should have been far more straightforward than the Reds’ recent victories. Indeed, this was the earliest they have ever scored twice in a major European match.

But two themes of Liverpool’s early season persist, with the Reds letting slip a two-goal lead, as they also had at home to Bournemouth and away to 10-man Newcastle United, then again showing they could win anyway.

Van Dijk’s goal was the sixth Liverpool have scored from the 88th minute onwards this season and their fourth in the 90th minute or later, twice as many as any other Premier League side in all competitions.

Slot, though, will feel his team more than merited the three points, and can point to an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.6, to Atleti’s 0.61, as evidence in his favour.

Salah, meanwhile, scored, assisted and hit the woodwork, becoming the first Liverpool player to do so in a Champions League game since Yossi Benayoun in 2007.