Liverpool staged a thrilling comeback to beat Villarreal 4-3 on Tuesday and maintain their perfect start to the Champions League campaign. Manager Andoni Iraola warned his players that they cannot afford to relax, even when they hold a comfortable lead.

Villarreal took control early and scored twice inside the opening 30 minutes. Georges Mikautadze opened the scoring after just four minutes, while Sergi Cardona added the second to put the Spanish side in a strong position.

Liverpool responded before half-time through Alexis Mac Allister and Ronald Araujo. Both goals exposed Villarreal’s weakness in defending crosses into the penalty area.

Mac Allister scored again 25 minutes from time to give Liverpool the lead. Substitute Florian Wirtz then extended the advantage, completing the turnaround as Liverpool moved alongside Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the table with nine points from three matches.

“In the first half, especially the first 30-35 minutes, they have been much better than us. In the second half, especially the first 30-35 minutes, we were much better,” Iraola said.

He praised his team’s response under pressure but warned against losing concentration.

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“When we’ve relaxed a little bit at the beginning of the game, or when you score the 4-2, you think, ‘ok it’s done’, it has cost us. You cannot relax.”

Villarreal Exploit Liverpool’s Changed Line-Up

Iraola left several expensive attacking options out of his starting line-up, with Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola and Wirtz beginning on the bench. Liverpool also had one eye on Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Brighton.

Villarreal took advantage of the changes and struck early. Virgil van Dijk mishit a header intended for goalkeeper Alisson Becker, allowing Mikautadze to finish from close range.

Cardona doubled the visitors’ lead after Nathan Saliba picked out his forward run from left-back. The defender calmly guided the ball past Alisson.

Villarreal coach Inigo Perez appeared to have read Iraola’s tactics well. Perez previously worked under Iraola at Rayo Vallecano before beginning his own managerial career.

Perez had initially planned to join Iraola as an assistant at Bournemouth, but a work permit issue prevented the move. He later took charge of Rayo Vallecano and guided the Spanish club to the Conference League final last season.

Ngumoha Sparks Liverpool’s Comeback

Liverpool’s comeback began when Mac Allister headed home from a Kostas Tsimikas corner. The goal gave the hosts fresh momentum before the break.

Young winger Rio Ngumoha then caused problems for Villarreal’s defence. His first assist came when Cardona failed to track the danger at the back post, allowing Araujo to head in the equaliser.

Araujo left the field at half-time as Wirtz entered the match. Liverpool increased the pressure after the restart.

Ngumoha used his pace on the right flank to create another opening. His low cross reached Mac Allister, who struck the ball off the underside of the crossbar to put Liverpool ahead.

“He was amazing tonight,” Mac Allister said of Ngumoha’s performance. “He made the difference.”

Three minutes later, Cody Gakpo set up Wirtz for Liverpool’s fourth goal. The strike marked Wirtz’s first goal of the season and offered a response to criticism over his lack of goals and assists.

Villarreal Make Liverpool Fight Until the End

Despite falling behind, Villarreal continued to threaten. Tani Oluwaseyi connected well with Ayoze Perez’s cross and scored to make it 4-3.

The late goal created a tense finish, but Liverpool held on to secure all three points.

The victory strengthened Liverpool’s position in the race for the Champions League knockout stage. They now have nine points from three games, while Villarreal remain on three points.

However, the comeback also highlighted Liverpool’s defensive problems. Iraola’s warning was clear: his side must maintain concentration throughout the match if they want to keep winning in Europe.