How a few simple tweaks by Arne Slot helped Liverpool outclass Real Madrid

Arne Slot deploying Florian Wirtz in the left flank instead of the No.10 role worked wonders

Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister walks off the ptich during the Champions League soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Remember the scene from the Matrix where Keanu Reeves’ Neo managed to stop a huge number of bullets coming towards him in mid-air by just holding up his hands? Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did something similar when he faced a barrage of Liverpool attacks throughout the match. The Belgian goalie made some world class stops to deny Liverpool but he finally let one in when Dominik Szoboszlai’s free kick was met by Alexis Mac Allister who headed the Reds to a 1-0 lead which ultimately turned into the winner.

The victory was Liverpool’s second win on the bounce, something they have achieved for the first time since September. Ahead of this match vs Real, Arne Slot’s side lost 6 of their last 8 matches which put a dent on their hopes of retaining the title they had won last season. Their defence was failing, the big money signings like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak did not hit the ground running and somewhere along the way, they looked to have lost their identity.

Real Madrid’s Eder Militao, left, and Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai jump for the ball during the Champions League soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

But in one of the more important nights of the season, the Reds finally looked like the dominant unit that had waltzed to the Premier League title last season. It just took a bit of a tweak. That came in the form of Slot deploying Wirtz in the left flank instead of the No.10 role. With the physicality of the Premier League, the German has often been out-run by opponents from the middle of the park which neutralized his strengths. But in the new role vs Madrid, with a wide berth to drift in and out, Wirtz looked like a player reborn.

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CHANCES CREATED IN FIRST HALF

Most by any Liverpool player this season - Wirtz's output after moving to left flank

Previous Role

No.10

Central position exposed Wirtz to Premier League physicality, neutralizing his strengths

New Role

Left Flank

Wide berth allowed German to drift in and out, looking like a player reborn

Season Stats

0 Goals

In 15 appearances - Wirtz struggled before tactical switch showed his true capability

Match Result

1-0 Win

Liverpool dominated Real Madrid, ending their 6 losses in 8 matches nightmare run

TACTICAL IMPACT

Slot's formation shift back to 4-3-3 with Wirtz on the left helped Liverpool rediscover their dominant identity from last season's title-winning campaign

Indian Express InfoGenIE

According to Opta, the German created five chances in the first half vs the Los Blancos, the most by any Liverpool player this season which showed as the team dominated the proceedings. Hounded over his ordinary stats where he is yet to get a goal in 15 appearances for the club, Wirtz showed what he is capable of when playing to his strengths.

Also Read | Why Liverpool look far from the free-flowing side they were last season

Manager Slot, who has been under a firestorm of criticism for the Reds barren run, will be a rather relieved man after his side’s performance in the last two matches. Instead of experimenting further, Slot now sets up his team in the familiar 4-3-3 shape which he reverted to against Villa on Saturday, a match which the Reds comfortably won by 2-0.

The Dutchman brought in Andy Robertson in place of a struggling Milos Kerkez in the Villa match which acted like a tonic with the Scottish left-back using all his experience to his advantage, giving the Reds a much-needed stability on that side. Robertson’s performance against Villa was awarded with a start against Real on Tuesday as he kept the 15-times UCL winners at bay.

Another bright spot in the team was right back Conor Bradley, an understudy of now Madrid player Trent Alexander Arnold when he was in Liverpool. With his ex-Liverpool mentor watching from the stands, Bradley burst out from under Trent’s shadow, delivering a defensive masterclass as he kept Vinicius Jr quiet. The Brazilian tried a few of his flicks and tricks but Bradley’s physicality ensured that the Madrid ace was kept marginalized for the lion’s share of the match.

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With the two wing backs on top of their game, the shaky centre-back partnership of Virgil van Djik and Ibrahima Konate also looked way more assured, successfully shutting down Real’s attacking threat with Kylian Mbappe looking out of sorts. Madrid managed just 8 shots in the whole match with just 2 of them on target which says a lot about how solid the Reds were in the back, a trait that was almost a forgotten art at Anfield if you look at the last few matches.

Liverpool looks to have found a bit of rhythm back and the smart thing would be to continue with this formation and a set team. But with Isak, Kerkez, Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong all destined to come back to the first-team, Slot has a conundrum in his hands on how to keep things in balance.