Fenerbahce 3 – 2 Liverpool

Liverpool’s perfect start to their Champions League campaign came to a sudden halt as they lost two leads in a 3-2 defeat to Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

Goals from 19-year-old Trey Nyoni and Alexander Isak had twice put Andoni Iraola’s side ahead, but poor defending saw them hold each of those leads for just four minutes before the hosts completed the comeback late on.

Iraola made five changes to the team that had lost to Arsenal three days prior, opting to rest several big names including Isak and Florian Wirtz.

One of those who remained in the starting XI was Nyoni and he wrote another chapter in his breakthrough season as his deflected volley wrong-footed Ederson and nestled in the back of the net for his first professional goal.

That advantage was cut short as Mason Greenwood’s free-kick ricocheted off Jeremy Jacquet and left Alisson just as stranded as his Brazilian counterpart moments earlier.

Isak, Wirtz and Cody Gakpo were sent on in search of the lead, and were rewarded almost immediately. Gakpo’s cross gave Isak a free-header inside the six-yard box and the Swede applied the finishing touch with his first touch after being introduced.

It was deja vu for the Reds though, as miscommunication at the back between Gakpo and Alisson allowed former Birmingham academy graduate Archie Brown to tap home another instant equaliser. The defending was even worse as the hosts took the lead shortly after when a sky-high cross was headed home by Vedat Muriqi.

The result is Liverpool’s first defeat of their European campaign, halfway through their eight league phase games. Meanwhile, ex-Red masterminds Fenerbahce’s first win of their Champions League season.

More to follow…

Key moments from the Sukru Saracoglu….

4: WIDE! Jacquet’s glancing header goes just past the post.

21: CHANCE! Barcola can’t get a touch on Gomez’s teasing cross.

25: GOAL! Nyoni fires Liverpool ahead with first goal for the club.

27: BAR! Kahveci hits crossbar as Fenerbahce nearly find instant equaliser.

29: GOAL! Greenwood’s free-kick goes in via huge Jacquet deflection.

37: WIDE! Barcola’s glancing header just evades the far post.

45: SAVE! Alisson has to make smart stop to keep the game level.

56: SAVE! Barcola denied by Ederson at the near post.

57: SAVE! Van Dijk sees a free header go straight at Ederson.

69: GOAL! Super-sub Isak scores with first touch to restore lead.

73: GOAL! Mix-up at the back as Brown equalises.

79: GOAL! Muriqi completes turnaround.

Upcoming fixtures…