Liverpool 3-2 AC Milan: player ratings, heroes and villains as Divock Origi stars in Champions League win

Liverpool began their 2021-22 Champions League campaign with a rollercoaster 3-2 win over AC Milan at Anfield on Wednesday night.

The Reds made a blitzing start and opened the scoring in the ninth minute through a Fikayo Tomori own goal.

Mo Salah then missed a penalty and Jurgen Klopp’s side were made to pay when Milan netted two quickfire goals before half-time courtesy of Ante Rebic and Brahim Díaz.

But Liverpool would fight back in the second half with Salah rectifying his first-half error to equalise on 49 minutes. Then Jordan Henderson settled matters with a stunning 69th-minute half-volley.

The heroes

- Divock Origi: there were plenty of surprised faces when he was named in the starting XI. However, Origi was excellent throughout the game and it was his delightful chipped ball that set Salah on his way for Liverpool’s equaliser.

- Jordan Henderson: what a time to get yourself a first Champions League goal in seven years. The Reds captain showed outstanding technique to lash home the match-winner.

- Jurgen Klopp: the Anfield supremo took a gamble by omitting Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane from his starting XI. It wasn’t straightforward but his half-time team talk did the trick.

The villains

- Rafael Leao: the AC Milan winger was caught napping and failed to track the run of Trent Alexander-Arnold which led to Liverpool’s opener.

- Mike Maignan: the visiting keeper made a fine stop to thwart Salah’s first-half penalty and made several other saves. Yet Maigan hesitated when coming off his line and was caught in no man’s land to allow Salah to atone for his previous miss.

Player ratings

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 7, Matip 7, Gomez 6, Robertson 7, Fabinho 8, Henderson 8 (Milner 84), Keita 7 (Jones 71; 7), Jota 7 (Thiago 71; 6), Salah 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 84), Origi 8 (Mane 63; 6)

AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan 5, Hernandez 5, Tomori 6, Kjaer 6, Calabria 5, Bennacer 5 (Tonali 71; 6), Kessie 5, Leao 5 (Giroud 62; 5), Diaz 7, Saelemaekers 6 (Florenze 62; ), Rebic 7 (Maldini 83).

What’s next?

Liverpool return to action in the Premier League on Saturday.

They’ll bid to continue their unbeaten start to the season with Crystal Palace visiting Anfield (15.00 BST).