Caoimhin Kelleher save pivotal in famous Liverpool victory over ...

Top in England and, now, top of the new Champions League table, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, Liverpool could even “enjoy” the luxury of a rare Mo Salah penalty miss.

But it was Kelleher, who saved a penalty from Kylian Mbappe, no less, who produced the pivotal moment as he preserved Liverpool’s 1-0 lead.

The crucial opening goal had come on 52 minutes, after an electrifying start to the second half by the hosts, and involved impressive Liverpool youngster Conor Bradley who received, then returned, passes with Mac Allister.

The World Cup winner was able to take an important touch that created space in the area before delivering an unstoppable finish into the bottom corner.

It was no more than Liverpool deserved but the night would not necessarily be remembered for the heroics of Mac Allister, or an eye-catching display from young Bradley. Instead, just nine minutes after the opening goal, Kelleher was thrust into the spotlight.

It followed a clumsy trip by Andrew Robertson on Lucas Vazquez that left the French referee with no option but to award a penalty which their galactico among galacticos, Mbappe, strode up to take.

The odds were, surely, stacked against Liverpool’s reserve keeper, still playing for the injured Alisson, but with Mbappe failing to find Kelleher’s left-hand corner, the Irishman chose well, dived the correct way and saved brilliantly.

And with that, an Anfield that was already simmering, boiled over.

In that atmosphere, it was no surprise, therefore, that Salah was presented with the chance to double Liverpool’s lead on 70 minutes after he had tortured defender Ferland Mendy who could only trip the striker as he twisted and turned in the area.

Salah sent Thibaut Courtois the wrong way, but scuffed his shot, sending his effort wide of the post, taking a divot with it.

Mbappe and Salah, two of the modern greats, each with a chance to score a goal, unopposed, from 12 yards. Each failed. It was just that kind of Anfield night.

Not that it would matter to Salah’s team as they only had to wait until the 77th minute to double their lead as Gakpo rose on the six-yard line, taking advantage of poor marking, to head in Robertson’s cross from a well-worked short corner.

Liverpool had probably edged the first half on points, although there was not much in it and it said much about the threat posed by the visiting holders that the biggest cheer of the opening period came on a defensive play.

Real had a crippling injury list coming into the tie but still boasted Mbappe in attack and when the Frenchman surged forward just after the half hour, the situation looked ominous.

But there was Liverpool youngster Bradley, all 21 years of him and making his first Champions League start, to make a stunningly-timed tackle.

Anfield erupted, one of their own - well, one of County Tyrone’s own - had looked a potential weak link in the Liverpool defence but had just enjoyed a stunning moment against a living legend.

It was no coincidence that, within seconds and with Anfield still buzzing, Darwin Nunez met Mac Allister’s clever assist and placed a brilliant header just wide.

It was not Nunez’s first sight of goal. After just four minutes, he chased onto Salah’s through ball and his shot was saved by the hand of Courtois and had to be cleared by defender Raul Asencio after the youngster looked like he was about to deflect into his own goal.

Never ones to let down their team on the special occasion, the Anfield support played their part in proceedings, too, as Jude Bellingham would testify after the England star was booed ever time he touched the ball.

Bellingham was not doing much of that at the start of the second half as Liverpool, from kick-off, penned Real in their own penalty area and took a deserved lead.

Seconds before, they might have scored, when Bradley’s superbly-timed run ended with him meeting Mac Allister’s cross and forcing Courtois into a save from his header.

And a minute after the goal, the rampant Reds pieced together a flowing attack which ended with Curtis Jones finding Mac Allister in space only for the Argentinian to take deliberate aim, and just miss the target.

Things were not going well for Carlo Ancelotti, the former Everton boss making a Merseyside return, with Eduardo Camavinga forced off before the hour with what looked a hamstring injury, and the Mbappe penalty miss cannot have helped the mood on the Madrid bench.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Kelleher 8; Bradley 9 (Gomez 87), Konate 7, van Dijk 7, Robertson 6; Jones 7 (Szoboszlai 82), Gravenberch 7, Mac Allister 8; Salah 7, Nunez 7 (Gakpo 68, 7), Diaz 6. Substitutes (not used) Alexander-Arnold, Davies, Elliott, Endo, Jaros, Morton, Quansah.

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois 7; Valverde 6, Asencio 7, Rudiger 6, Mendy 5 (F Garcia 71, 7); Modric 5 (Endrick 78, 5), Camavinga 6 (Ceballos 57, 5), Bellingham 5; Guler 7 (Vazquez 57, 6), Diaz 7, Mbappe 5. Substitutes (not used) Aguado, G Garcia, Gonzalez, Lunin, Vallejo, Yanez, de Llanos.

Referee: F Letexier (France) 7