AC Milan 1-3 Liverpool PLAYER RATINGS: Who was a constant threat for the Reds? Which defender went AWOL for Christian Pulisic’s early goal? And who was popping up everywhere?

Liverpool made their return to the Champions League by coming from behind to beat AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro.

Arne Slot‘s side were stunned in the opening stages with Christian Pulisic putting the home side ahead after just three minutes.

Goals from Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk saw Liverpool turn the match around as both defenders headed home from set pieces.

Dominik Szoboszlai sealed Liverpool’s victory by turning in a Cody Gakpo cross, ensuring Slot celebrated his 46th birthday in style.

Mail Sport’s Kieran Gill rates the players from the opening night of Champions League action.

Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool ahead on the night with the captain heading in from a set piece

Arne Slot celebrated his birthday with a first Champions League win as Liverpool boss

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1)

Mike Maignan – 5

Did his best impression of Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario as Milan conceded from two crosses, with Maignan flapping until he finally succumbed to injury.

Davide Calabria – 5

Milan’s captain had to beware Liverpool’s constant switches of play towards his flank. Booked for a challenge on Gakpo from which the equaliser arrived.

Fikayo Tomori – 5

Left sprawled on the floor and in a tangle with his goalkeeper after being beaten in the air by a determined Konate for 1-1.

Strahinja Pavlovic – 5

Often had Salah for company as Liverpool’s right winger drifted inside to be closer to Jota and in those one-v-ones, Pavlovic was routinely the loser.

Theo Hernandez – 5

Sometimes he was marking Salah. Other times Szoboszlai. Then Alexander-Arnold. Not the nicest night for any of Milan’s defenders once Liverpool woke up.

Mike Maignan flapped twice at cross and was later forced off having struggled with an injury

Theo Hernandez was among the AC Milan defenders to have a difficult night at the San Siro

Youssouf Fofana – 5.5

Cautioned for tugging back Salah out of panic as Liverpool started to take hold of this Champions League clash after struggling in midfield early on.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 6

One of five ex-Chelsea men in the Milan squad, four of whom started. Loves driving forward from midfield but none of his runs led to much.

Christian Pulisic – 6

Scored inside three minutes after a dereliction of his defensive duties from Tsimikas. Gladly accepted Liverpool’s gift of space and time to shoot beyond Alisson.

Tijjani Reijnders – 5

Van Dijk should send him a thank-you card for the free header from which he gave Liverpool their 2-1 lead as Reijnders abandoned his man.

Rafael Leao – 5

Faded after Milan’s ferocious start as Alexander-Arnold handled him well as the game grew older. Often too wasteful when opportunities arose to get at Liverpool.

Alvaro Morata – 5.5

Lovely first-time ball around the corner for Pulisic’s goal. Threw himself to the floor next to Gakpo in the hope of a penalty. No chance.

Ex-Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for AC Milan in the third minute

Rafael Leao was well handled by Trent Alexander-Arnold and was often too wasteful 

SUBS

Lorenzo Torriani (for Maignan, 51) – 6

The 19-year-old goalkeeper was thrown to the wolves but only conceded the one.

Tammy Abraham (for Loftus-Cheek 70) – 6

Thankless task as the striker coming on at 3-1 down, with no glimpses of goal.

Emerson Royal (for Calabria 70) – 6

Former Tottenham full backs’ only contribution was giving Nunez a kick to the head.

Noah Okafor (for Morata 84) – N/A

Matteo Gabbia (for Tomori 84) – N/A

MANAGER

Paulo Fonseca – 5

Conceding from two near-identical set-pieces can only frustrate.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1)

Alisson – 6.5

Showed his annoyance after losing his clean sheet soon into this contest but was so untroubled from then on, he could have done a crossword. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7.5

The free-kick from which Liverpool equalised came as a result of one of his many right-to-left switches of play. Easily won his battle with Leao.

Ibrahima Konate – 7.5

No stopping him from levelling it up for Liverpool as he charged into the six-yard box like a bull who had seen red. Kickstarted the comeback.

Virgil van Dijk – 7.5

Saw what Konate did and thought: ‘I’ll have some of that.’ Will never score an easier header as Liverpool exploited Milan’s dismal set-piece defending.

Konstantinos Tsimikas – 5.5

Tsimikas went AWOL when Pulisic opened the scoring early on, which was costly. But it was his corner from which Van Dijk headed Liverpool into a 2-1 lead.

Konstantinos Tsimikas went AWOL when Pulisic opened the scoring in the early stages 

Ibrahima Konate rose highest to head in a free kick to get Liverpool back on level terms

Ryan Gravenberch – 7

Liverpool looked vulnerable in midfield early on but they soon settled, Gravenberch doing a professional job of protecting the defence with well-timed interceptions.

Alexis Mac Allister – 7

Should have secured an assist when he picked the right pass into Jota but wasn’t rewarded. Otherwise held his own with a caution for a challenge on Fofana.

Mohamed Salah – 7.5

Twice denied by the crossbar and once by Maignan in the first half, but that latter chance won the corner that gave Liverpool the lead.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 7.5

Felt like Szoboszlai was popping up everywhere as if he had a twin brother playing at the same time, then got himself a goal.

Cody Gakpo – 8

No goal for himself, but Gakpo was a threat from the left throughout as he ended his evening with an assist for Szoboszlai to confirm this comeback win.

Diogo Jota – 6

Should have scored when Mac Allister played him in, only to miss the target completely from close range. Linked up nicely with Salah on occasion at least.

Dominik Szoboszlai turned in Cody Gakpo’s cross to give Liverpool a two-goal cushion

Cody Gakpo was a threat from the left throughout and ended his evening with an assist

SUBS

Luis Diaz (for Gakpo 68) – 6

Did not shirk his defensive duties down the left as Liverpool saw out the win.

Darwin Nunez (for Jota 68) – 6

The odd flash of goal as he kept busy but in truth, the visitors’ work was done.

Joe Gomez (for Alexander-Arnold 79) – N/A

Wataru Endo (for Mac Allister 90) – N/A

Federico Chiesa (for Salah 90) – N/A

MANAGER

Arne Slot – 7

All’s well that ends well after their shaky start.

REFEREE

Espen Eskas – 6

Never allowed himself to be influenced by the atmosphere.