Champions League reaction: Liverpool beat Real as Arsenal & Spurs win
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Summary
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Coming up: Aston Villa and Crystal Palace news conferences
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Champions League build-up: Man City, Newcastle and Chelsea all in action
Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid: Arne Slot's side produce outstanding display with Alexis Mac Allister scoring the only goal (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1d0ke1x631t?post=asset%3A28882b34-f8bf-4bad-ae07-8099e1571690#post)
Trent Alexander-Arnold was brought on against his former club late in the game to a chorus of boos from the home fans (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1d0ke1x631t?post=asset%3A2c480b5a-9c44-411b-b64a-2832eac4b640#post)
Tottenham 4-0 FC Copenhagen: Micky Van de Ven scores a sensational solo goal as 10-man Spurs cruise to victory (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1d0ke1x631t?post=asset%3A70b47690-da40-4447-af8f-13b17fb475f6#post)
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal: Mikel Merino scores twice as Arsenal take their winning run to 10 games in all competitions (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1d0ke1x631t?post=asset%3A27d5c2b0-d99d-4ec9-a161-126a4a273b3c#post)
Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say
Live Reporting
Written by Sam Drury, Craig Nelson, Ben Ramsdale & Holly Bacon.
Show
1.
'Van de Ven's goal was just ridiculous'published at 12:39 GMT
Tottenham 4-0 Copenhagen
Curtis Davies
Former Premier League defender on Football Daily
We saw a stark contrast to the Micky van de Ven that was walking off the pitch at the weekend [after the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea] all disappointed.
Initially I said it was like the George Weah run but I think I gave him too much credit there, so I'm going to say it was more like Son Heung-min's goal against Burnley.
He slotted it away like a proper centre-forward as well, what a finish it was. It was brilliant because he was at full tilt and full pace, and then he just slotted it into the bottom corner with his left foot.
Copenhagen capitulated after Tottenham's red card. Van de Ven's goal was just ridiculous, there were four players around him so you would have thought one of them could have put in a 'good foul' as us centre-backs call it, but nobody did.
2.
'Like Lionel Messi' - Frank stunned by Van de Ven goalpublished at 12:33 GMT
Tottenham 4-0 Copenhagen
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank jokes that Micky van de Ven looked like Lionel Messi when he scored a stunning solo effort in a 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League.
Speaking to TNT Sport, he said: "That could be goal of the season. It was like [Lionel] Messi turned into a centre-back."
"It seems like [Cristian] Romero didn't want to stand down for his other centre mate too. That was also a great goal."
3.
Postpublished at 12:32 GMT
Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
Right, it's Messi time - that's Micky van de Messi...
4.
Have Arsenal already done enough for knockout place?published at 12:31 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal moved to 12 points with their win over Slavia Prague last night and are one of only two sides, along with Bayern Munich, to boast a 100% record after four games.
Inter Milan are the only other side that can join them on 12 points, if they win tonight.
Last season, 11 points was enough to earn a place in the top 24 and a route into the knockout play-off round, while 16 points ensured a top-eight finish and direct entry into the last 16.
The Gunners finished third in the Champions League table last season, with 19 points from their eight games.
5.
Gabriel and Saliba 'live for defending and clean sheets'published at 12:28 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on Football Daily
Image source, Getty Images
It was a run-of-the-mill win for all the Arsenal players so I knew everyone would go over to the 1,000 travelling fans and applaud them but the way Gabriel and William Saliba looked at each other and celebrated with each other showed that this is what they love to do and live for.
They live for defending and clean sheets and, oh boy, do they do it well.
I suspect they also turned around and celebrated with David Raya as well because he is a big part of these clean sheets.
6.
Record-equalling Arsenal defence is best in Europepublished at 12:21 GMT
Noel Sliney
BBC Sport
Arsenal equalled a 122-year-old club record last night by registering an eighth successive clean sheet in all competitions.
It’s a feat they only previously achieved between April to October 1903, when Woolwich Arsenal did not concede a goal in their final three league games of the 1902-03 season or their first five of 1903-04.
The Gunners have comfortably the best defensive record this season of any team in Europe’s top five leagues, with the most clean sheets and also ranking top for fewest goals conceded and fewest shots on target faced per game.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking after last night’s 3-0 win over Slavia Prague, said of his side’s defensive excellence: “The most pleasing thing, probably not the record, is the mindset of the players. They are talking about how we can still do better.
"There were one of two situations that we could have resolved better, so if we do that we can keep improving and that record will have a bigger meaning."
7.
A really productive evening - Artetapublished at 12:18 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on his side’s 3-0 win at Slavia Prague: “Emotionally I think we handled it very well. It shows the consistency we have, we dominated the defensive part of the game against a team that is very difficult to play against.
"Tonight we made four changes from the weekend and they all performed really well. Overall, a really productive evening."
8.
Get Involved - Courtois enters 'age-old' goalkeeping debatepublished at 12:15 GMT
Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say
Tom: Would love to know from Gianni (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1d0ke1x631t?post=asset%3A6d7ae7a8-5d93-4765-a881-c8188e16d587#post) how the keepers he listed are 'miles' better than Courtois? Courtois has more clean sheets and fewer goals conceded per match than Casillas, and is only marginally behind Buffon and Neuer for save percentage. Hardly a boy amongst men.
Yavuz: Best goalkeeper ever: Yashin, the Russian. He didn’t just keep goal, he kept the 18 yard box.
Gary: Gotta add Banks and Yashin to the mix, surely! And, yes, that does rather age me!!
9.
Get Involved - 'Arsenal did what Arsenal do'published at 12:10 GMT
Very convincing wins all around for English clubs last night. Arsenal did what Arsenal do, what else can you say. Spurs looked like they could finally attack again, regardless of it being against Copenhagen. And Liverpool won very comfortably, the 1-0 doesn't do them justice, Courtois was absolutely unbelievable.
Harry, Manchester
10.
Champions League football at 15? 'Massive player' Dowman makes historypublished at 12:02 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Image source, EPA
Arsenal teenager Max Dowman has become the youngest player to feature in a Champions League game after a substitute appearance in the 3-0 win at Slavia Prague.
Aged 15 years and 308 days, the forward broke the record set by Youssoufa Moukoko when the German featured for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit at 16 years and 18 days.
Dowman came off the bench to replace Leandro Trossard in the 72nd minute as Arsenal recorded a 10th successive win - and an eighth clean sheet in a row to match a club record set in 1903 - in Tuesday's league phase match.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was full of praise as he said: "It doesn't get any harder than this competition and Max, at 15, straight away looked to take people on and win free-kicks.
"The way he plays he attracts a lot of contact. He is so good at timing the right moment to move the ball. We have a massive player there."
11.
Get Involved - 'Not a chance Courtois is best ever'published at 11:58 GMT
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Best ever? Not a chance, Buffon, Casillas, Zoff, Neuer all miles ahead of Courtois.
Gianni, London
12.
Gunners extend winning streakpublished at 11:55 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal have won 10 consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time under Mikel Arteta, last doing so between August and October 2018 under Unai Emery (a run of 11).
13.
No Gyokeres, no problem - makeshift Merino provides Arsenal 'solution'published at 11:51 GMT
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Alex Howell
BBC Sport football reporter at Fortuna Arena
Image source, Reuters
The sight of Mikel Merino wheeling away in celebration after scoring while playing as a striker is something Arsenal fans have got used to over the past nine months.
And the midfielder-turned-frontman was at it again on Tuesday, scoring twice in their 3-0 Champions League win at Slavia Prague.
The 29-year-old was filling in for Viktor Gyokeres, whose muscle injury is 'concerning' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5ylqnde48do) manager Mikel Arteta as the Swede prepares for further tests.
Thankfully, he need not be concerned about Merino's ability to step up and deliver for the Gunners, whose fourth straight success in the league phase extended their winning run to 10 in all competitions.
"It's a joy to have him," admitted Arteta. "It's his mindset, it's his leadership, it's the way he is as a person."
"We are missing a lot of attacking players and we have to find different solutions. He comes in the Champions League and scores two goals."
14.
Postpublished at 11:49 GMT
Thanks, Callum, that allows me to segue seamlessly into a bit of Arsenal chat...
15.
Get Involved - 'All focus today will be on a huge result for Liverpool, and a wondergoal from Van de Ven, and rightly so. But let's not forget Arsenal are quietly winning game after game, without Gyokeres, Martinelli, Madueke, Odegaard, Havertz, Jesus... and casually making all kinds of records along the way.'
Callum, London
16.
'Lot of work to do if Real Madrid want to challenge for Champions League'published at 11:44 GMT
Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid
Image source, Getty Images
There is a lot of work to do for Real Madrid if they want to challenge for the Champions League, according to Spanish journalist Guillem Balague.
Xabi Alonso took over the hotseat at Real Madrid in the summer and has taken them to the top of La Liga, where they have a five-point lead over rivals Barcelona.
The 15-time European champions went into last night's Champions League tie at Anfield having won 13 of their previous 14 matches in all competitions.
Their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool was the first match in that run they had failed to score, banging in 34 goals in the process, yet Balague believes their performance at Anfield was reflective of where they are in their development under Alonso.
"Not everyone thinks as one [at Real Madrid], which is absolutely crucial, and Liverpool did," Balague told 5 Live Breakfast.
"They [Real] lacked intensity, they arrived late to challenges, they struggled to cope with Liverpool's rhythm, especially in the second half, and if Vinicius and Mbappe stop defending the whole thing collapses.
"So, from the idea of what Xabi Alonso wants to do with the team and what is happening at the moment, there is still a big gap.
"There is a big gap between Real Madrid and the top teams in Europe. If they want to challenge for the Champions League there is a lot of work to do."
17.
Get Involvedpublished at 11:40 GMT
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Courtois doesn't get recognition in England because he doesn't play in England. He was rated at Chelsea and things soured a little when he left (albeit for the right reasons). But we simply don't face him enough or pay enough attention to La Liga. He's brilliant, 'best ever?' no chance.
Harry, Manchester
18.
Bellingham subdued as serial winners fall shortpublished at 11:37 GMT
Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid
Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Anfield
Image source, Getty Images
Jude Bellingham had the perfect stage to deliver a reminder of his quality after his recent much-discussed exclusion from head coach Thomas Tuchel's England squad.
Bellingham has been in form as Real lead La Liga, but he was largely anonymous as Liverpool controlled the game for virtually its entirety, apart from one breakthrough in the first half when he forced keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to save with his feet.
In the end, like the rest of his team-mates, Bellingham was simply unable to make any serious impact in a disappointing display from the visitors.
Courtois showed why many place him alongside Liverpool keeper Alisson as the best in the world with a stunning display that threatened to earn his side a point they would not have deserved.
Vinicius was dominated by Bradley, while Mbappe was marginalised in an error-strewn performance.
It was an unhappy return to Anfield for Alexander-Arnold, who was given a fiercely hostile reception when he came on as substitute, while it was also a night of frustration for Real coach and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who could only watch on powerless as his team subsided.
19.
Courtois 'in line to be one of the best'published at 11:34 GMT
Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on Football Daily
Image source, Getty Images
Thibaut Courtois is an outstanding goalkeeper. There have been some other outstanding ones.
What you would say is, he has won all of the major competitions and he has done it exceptionally well at Real Madrid. He is definitely in line to be one of the best."
20.
Get Involvedpublished at 11:31 GMT
Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say
Alisson is the best keeper in the world, Casillas is the best keeper ever.
Kieran, Chichester
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