Three matches, three victories, and a tournament-leading haul of twelve goals scored. On paper, Liverpool sit joint top of the Champions League standings with a maximum nine points, one of only two unbeaten teams in the entire competition.
Yet beneath the immaculate record lies a European campaign shaped largely by chaos. Liverpool are winning, but whether their current setup can carry them to the trophy in May remains an open question.
The Telegraph’s roundup of the best betting sites in UK listed Liverpool v Villarreal among Tuesday’s Champions League fixtures to watch in week 3, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Falling 2–0 behind within half an hour after early goals from Georges Mikautadze and Sergi Cardona, Liverpool initially looked overwhelmed. What followed was a demonstration of their attacking ceiling. Alexis Mac Allister sparked the comeback with sharp off-the-ball runs and clinical finishing, while Ronald Araújo’s presence destabilised the Spanish side on set pieces.
The second-half arrival of Florian Wirtz added technical control and incisive passing, with 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha offering direct width that Villarreal struggled to contain. When Liverpool find their rhythm in the final third, very few backlines in Europe can cope with their speed and variety.
This rush of goals is exactly what makes Liverpool so dangerous: when they’re singing, Liverpool’s attack really sings.
However, that same fixture against Villarreal laid bare the structural flaws that could derail a serious European run. Conceding three goals at Anfield brought Liverpool’s tally to seven conceded in just three continental outings, an unusually high number for an elite side. Had their results not been balanced out by their explosive attack, conversations about Liverpool’s defense would be very different.
The high-pressing system regularly leaves vast space behind the midfield line. When possession is turned over in transition, Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the defence are often left exposed to rapid counter-attacks, as demonstrated by Tani Oluwaseyi's late goal for the visitors.
Outscoring opponents works during the league phase, but the later knockout rounds traditionally favour teams that know how to suffocate matches and protect leads. Liverpool’s inconsistent form in the league also doesn’t help either, where attacking woes are more pronounced.
Upcoming fixtures against Fenerbahçe and Club Brugge should allow Liverpool to comfortably secure an automatic place in the round of 16. Measuring their title credentials, however, requires looking at traditional heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, sides capable of combining ruthless finishing with game management.
Liverpool have the offensive quality to beat anyone in Europe on their day, but until they find greater structural balance without the ball, they belong in the tier of dangerous contenders rather than outright favourites.