Mohamed Salah shuts down lazy narrative as Diego Simeone drama overshadows Liverpool truth

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True, Salah hasn’t been close to his devastating best as he adapts to working alongside a new-look strikeforce without Trent Alexander-Arnold linking up behind him.

And he was probably one of Liverpool’s least effective players at Burnley until smashing home the dramatic late winning penalty.

That, though, was an example of how even a half-firing Salah can still make key contributions, which continued here during a blistering opening from the Reds against Atletico Madrid.

Okay, the free-kick that deflected in off Andy Robertson for the opener absolutely wasn’t straight off the training ground.

Set-piece coach Aaron Briggs can’t take any credit for that.

But Salah’s second goal moments later was vintage, drifting in off the right and exchanging passes with Ryan Gravenberch before holding off a gaggle of defenders to stroke home into the far corner.

It made him the first Liverpool player since Steve McManaman almost 30 years previous to score and assist in a game inside the opening six minutes.

Salah twice came close later in the first half and struck the inside of the post as the Reds sought a third.

He remains the player opponents fear.

Nothing lucky for Liverpool

There will come a day when Liverpool win a game in somewhat orthodox manner.

This, though, was not that day.

But there was in truth a sense of inevitability about the manner in which, through sheer force of will, the Reds dragged themselves over the line in dramatic fashion for a fifth successive time.

That can’t go on forever.

However, there’s nothing fortunate about what Liverpool are continuing to deliver, and this was perhaps the most notable case in point.

Having been pegged back by Marcos Llorente’s deflected equaliser nine minutes from time, Arne Slot’s side could easily have wilted.

Instead, they rolled up their sleeves and, attacking the Kop end, began to turn the screw on a Atletico defence their boss Diego Simeone later admitted was tiring.

And the relentless pressure after a succession of corners finally told when a quality, driven delivery from Dominik Szoboszlai on the right flank was met by a thunderous header from Virgil van Dijk.

For Szoboszlai, it was another example of his ongoing excellent start to the season and an ideal manner in which to mark his 100th appearance for the club.

Champions start

Liverpool discovered the hard way last season that a strong showing in the league phase of the Champions League doesn’t necessarily translate into an easier tie when the knockout stage comes around.

But while the dramatic finale and Simeone’s subsequent red card will dominate the headlines, the key factor for Slot’s side is they are able to take their early-season momentum into Saturday’s Anfield derby against Everton.

The defensive central quartet of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, centre-backs Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate and number six Gravenberch worked well as a unit, the latter in particular again impressive.

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But, after successive clean sheets, that Liverpool have shipped two goals for a fourth time in six games – and coughed up a two-goal lead for a third occasion – will be a concern, not helped by the enforced chopping and changing in the full-back areas and a recalibrated midfield.

There is confidence it will eventually gel.