According to a report by BBC Sport on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Liverpool moved to nine points in the UEFA Champions League league phase after fighting back from an early deficit to defeat Villarreal 4-2 at Anfield.

The victory maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s European competition, giving them three wins from their opening three matches. The Reds demonstrated their resilience by recovering from a two-goal disadvantage before producing an impressive second-half performance to secure all three points.

Liverpool made a difficult start after Georges Mikautadze capitalised on a defensive error to put Villarreal ahead in the fourth minute. The Spanish visitors increased their advantage through another attacking move, leaving the home side facing an uphill battle.

However, Liverpool responded before the interval. Alexis Mac Allister reduced the deficit with a goal from a corner before Ronald Araujo found the net to bring the score level at 2-2, giving the hosts renewed confidence heading into the second half.

Liverpool continued their fightback after the restart, with Mac Allister scoring again in the 65th minute following an impressive contribution from teenage winger Rio Ngumoha. Florian Wirtz then extended the advantage three minutes later, putting the Reds in a commanding position.

Villarreal attempted to recover late in the match and managed to reduce the deficit, but Liverpool held on to secure a valuable Champions League victory.

The result followed Liverpool’s earlier wins against Atletico Madrid and LASK, having defeated the Spanish side 2-1 before recording a 6-3 triumph in their second fixture. Their latest success brings their tally to nine points, with 12 goals scored and six conceded across their opening three matches.

How the Champions League standings have changed

Liverpool had entered Tuesday’s fixtures in fifth place with six points, behind Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Aston Villa and Stuttgart. Their victory over Villarreal increased their total to nine points and strengthened their position among the leading teams in the league phase, although other Matchday Three results could affect the overall rankings.

Villarreal, meanwhile, remain on three points from their first three matches. The Spanish club had previously recorded a 3-1 victory over Napoli after losing their opening fixture against Borussia Dortmund.

Under the Champions League’s league-phase format, the eight highest-ranked teams advance directly to the Round of 16. Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th place must compete in the knockout phase play-offs, while those ending the league phase in 25th position or below are eliminated.

Liverpool will now aim to continue their strong European form when they face Fenerbahce in their next Champions League fixture on November 4. Their comeback against Villarreal has strengthened their qualification prospects, but maintaining their winning run will be important as the competition progresses.