Liverpool secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League, sparking celebrations among fans who were desperate to see their team extend their winning run. But beneath the excitement lies a lingering question: are Liverpool truly convincing, or are they simply riding their luck?
The Reds have now won five consecutive matches this season with goals scored in the 80th minute or later. While this resilience and ability to grind out results speaks to the team’s mentality, it also raises concerns. Can Liverpool continue to rely on late drama, or will that streak eventually run out at the business end of the season?
Despite heavy transfer investments in their backline, Liverpool’s defense continues to look fragile. Atletico exploited gaps on several occasions, and only a combination of late heroics and wasteful finishing prevented the scoreline from being worse. For a club aiming to compete with Europe’s elite, such lapses could prove costly.
New signing Alexander Isak is still waiting for his first goal in red, while Mohamed Salah, once Liverpool’s talisman, looks a shadow of his former self. Without consistent firepower from their leading forwards, Liverpool’s reliance on midfield contributions and late-game bursts of energy may not be sustainable.
Jurgen Klopp’s era of gegenpressing dominance has come to an end, but the arrival of Arne Slot has yet to deliver a clear tactical identity. The team looks caught between pressing with intensity and maintaining a more structured build-up, leaving gaps for opponents and creating uncertainty in key moments.
Yes, Liverpool fans will rightly celebrate this win any victory against Atletico Madrid is a statement on the European stage. But as they push forward in both the Premier League and the Champions League, the pressing question remains: can Liverpool rely on late winners, or will their vulnerabilities catch up with them when it matters most?
For now, Liverpool walk away with the points, but their long-term credentials as genuine contenders are far from guaranteed.