Liverpool routed at Anfield by five-star Real Madrid

Liverpool crashed to their heaviest home defeat in Europe as they suffered once again at the hands of bogey side Real Madrid, who executed a clinical 5-2 victory at Anfield.

On a night when Mohamed Salah set two new club landmarks previously belonging to Steven Gerrard there was one record broken which no-one in red will care to remember.

What was even more galling for the hosts was they had raced into a 2-0 lead after a brilliant start in this Champions League last-16 first-leg tie only to be overhauled by a classy performance from the 14-time winners, who had inflicted Liverpool’s previous worst home defeat (3-0 in in 2014).

Darwin Nunez’s goal after three minutes and 10 seconds was their quickest Champions League goal at Anfield before Salah capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to score his 42nd in Europe for the club.

Gone was the caginess of May’s final in Paris but unfortunately for Liverpool still present was their nemesis Vinicius Jr, scorer of the only goal at the Stade de France, who took his tally to five in as many games against the Reds to drag his side back into the match as he too benefited from a rare mistake from goalkeeper Alisson Becker for his second goal.

Eder Militao’s goal and two from Karim Benzema ended the game as a contest – and quite possible the tie overall – midway through the second half.

It was almost as if Klopp had foreseen it as on the eve of the match, having finally reviewed their Paris defeat, he noticed “how little (Real) are fussed” by other teams’ chances.

“Generally I don’t think you can make this team panic,” he said on Monday.

And while Courtois briefly did his best to dispel that theory, once calm was restored the visitors – who started nine of the team who