Van Dijk’s stoppage-time header seals 3-2 victory for Liverpool over Atletico at Anfield

The Reds flew out of the blocks, with Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah both scoring inside six minutes. Atletico, who have often been stubborn visitors at Anfield, found a way back before the break through Marcos Llorente, who struck again late in the second half with a deflected effort that looked to have denied Liverpool victory.

However, Virgil van Dijk rose highest in stoppage time to power home a header, sealing a dramatic win. Atletico's frustration boiled over, with Diego Simeone sent off in the dying moments.

Slot was full of praise for his side's resilience. "If you want to beat a team like Atletico, which have an unbelievable mentality, you have to fight them with their own weapon as well," he said.

The night also saw record signing Alexander Isak make his long-awaited debut after his one hundred and twenty-five million pounds move from Newcastle. The Swedish striker, who has barely featured since May, was handed a start and showed flashes of sharpness before being replaced.

Alexis Mac Allister, who had been a fitness doubt after coming off against Burnley, returned from the bench in the second half, easing concerns over his availability.

Looking ahead to the derby at Goodison Park, Slot delivered a positive update on Curtis Jones, the only Liverpool player currently sidelined. The midfielder has been nursing a knock picked up against Arsenal earlier this month.

"Curtis will train with the team and hopefully be able to be in the squad on Saturday," Slot confirmed. "He was not ready for Atletico, but we are optimistic for Everton."

Liverpool, who have now won back-to-back matches since the international break, will aim to extend their strong start under Slot in what promises to be a fierce contest against their city rivals.

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