Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored the goals in the second half as the Reds maintained their perfect record to return to the top of the table.<br /><br />Mohamed Salah also fired wide from the spot, but it mattered little as Liverpool secured a 17th win in Arne Slot's first 19 games in charge.<br /><br />Slot has already achieved what Jurgen Klopp could not as Liverpool boss by slaying the Spanish giants.<br /><br />Liverpool had a score to settle with Madrid, who were unbeaten in eight previous meetings between the sides, including Champions League finals against Klopp's men in 2018 and 2022.<br /><br />Defeat sends Carlo Ancelotti's side tumbling down to 24th in the table.<br /><br />Only the top 24 progress to the knockout stage with the top eight advancing directly to the last 16.<br /><br />Liverpool are well on course to do just that and the confidence coursing through a side also eight points clear at the top of the Premier League was in evidence throughout in front of a highly-charged Anfield crowd.<br /><br />Madrid were hamstrung by a lengthy injury list and made the trip to England without Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba.<br /><br />Young centre-back Raul Asencio has been pressed into action by those absences and he made a vital goal-line clearance on four minutes.<br /><br />Darwin Nunez was sent in behind the Madrid defence by Salah and after his shot produced a fine save from Thibaut Courtois, Asencio reacted smartly to prevent the rebound bouncing off him and into his own net.<br /><br />Courtois was Liverpool's scourge with a man-of-the-match performance in the final two years ago as Madrid prevailed 1-0 in Paris.<br /><br />The Belgian was at his best again as he blocked another big Nunez chance from point-blank range as the Liverpool pressure built without reward before the break.<br /><br />Courtois was in sparkling form again at the start of the second period to parry Conor Bradley's downward header.<br /><br />But Liverpool were not to be denied as Bradley was this time the provider for Mac Allister, who manufactured the space for a shot into the far corner on 52 minutes.<br /><br />The visitors were relying on Mbappe for a moment of magic in the absence of Vinicius, but the Frenchman was well-marshalled by his international team-mate Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.<br /><br />His chance to silence his critics arrived on the hour mark when Andy Robertson was harshly adjudged to have tripped Lucas Vazquez inside the area.<br /><br />Caoimhin Kelleher has excelled in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker and leapt to his left to save Mbappe's spot-kick.<br /><br />Salah sparked a furore ahead of the game by declaring his disappointment with Liverpool's failure to offer him a contract renewal.<br /><br />The Egyptian has been in sparkling form this season and his pace and trickery fooled Ferland Mendy into a mistimed challenge.<br /><br />Salah, though, gave Madrid a lifeline by firing his penalty off the outside of the post.
