Liverpool come from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield
Alexis Mac Allister scored twice and 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha starred as Liverpool recovered from 2-0 down to beat Villarreal and make it three Champions League wins from three.
By MatchPulse Editorial Team
Match played: Tuesday 20 October 2026, UEFA Champions League league phase, Anfield.
Liverpool kept their perfect start in this season's Champions League with a 4-3 win over Villarreal on Tuesday night, a result that looked unlikely when the Spanish side led 2-0 inside half an hour. Four Liverpool goals either side of half-time turned the game around before a late Villarreal goal set up a tense finish.
A difficult opening half-hour
Villarreal were ahead after four minutes. A poor header from Virgil van Dijk fell into the path of Georges Mikautadze, who scored. The visitors doubled their lead on 29 minutes through left-back Sergi Cardona, and at that point Andoni Iraola's side had looked uncomfortable at the back.
The response came quickly. Alexis Mac Allister headed in from a Kostas Tsimikas corner in the 36th minute, and in first-half stoppage time Ronald Araújo finished at the far post from a Rio Ngumoha cross to make it 2-2 at the break.
Mac Allister and Wirtz complete the turnaround
Liverpool took control after the interval. Mac Allister scored his second from close range in the 65th minute, and three minutes later substitute Florian Wirtz added a fourth with a low left-footed finish.
Villarreal did not give up. Tani Oluwaseyi scored in the 87th minute to make it 4-3, and the visitors pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes, but Liverpool held on.
Goals: Mikautadze 4' (Villarreal), Cardona 29' (Villarreal), Mac Allister 36', Araújo 45+2', Mac Allister 65', Wirtz 68', Oluwaseyi 87' (Villarreal).
Ngumoha's breakthrough night
The headline performance came from Ngumoha, the 18-year-old winger who started as one of six changes to the Liverpool side. He was involved in two goals, completed seven successful dribbles according to match data cited by Sky Sports, and repeatedly ran at Cardona down Liverpool's left. He received a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd when he was substituted in the 74th minute.
It was not a flawless night for him: reports noted that he was partly at fault for Villarreal's second goal. But Iraola praised the teenager's attitude and development after the game, and the performance is likely to strengthen his case for more minutes.
What the result means
The win leaves Liverpool with nine points from their first three league-phase matches, with a goal difference of plus five. Villarreal remain on three points.
Analysis: Three wins from three is an excellent return, but conceding three goals at home, two of them early, will concern Iraola. Liverpool have shown they can recover from setbacks in this competition; the challenge is to avoid needing to. Villarreal coach Iñigo Pérez argued afterwards that his team had not been close to being overwhelmed, and the scoreline supports the view that this was an open, evenly contested game decided by Liverpool's finishing in a 30-minute spell.
The comeback also underlined Liverpool's attacking depth. Wirtz scored within minutes of coming on, while Mac Allister's two goals came from a set piece and from open play, giving Liverpool more than one route to goal when the game turned against them.
