What happened with five minutes left speaks volumes as Arne Slot's remarkable Liverpool beat Real Madrid

Based on the evidence, Arne Slot is quick to get results. But even for him, it's some feat managing to cast off a decade-long Real Madrid inferiority complex inside six months at Liverpool.

Eights games without a win, strewn across the last 10 years that have included two Champions League finals, were shrugged off here as the Premier League leaders put the 15-time champions of Europe to the sword with yet another impressive performance for the growing catalogue of them this season.

And in so many ways, this was the biggest statement of them all for Slot’s team. In recent years, Liverpool have been good bets to hand out a humiliation or two to Manchester United or the odd beating of Manchester City. Chelsea and Arsenal have also been negotiated with aplomb at times also, but not even at the zenith of Jurgen Klopp’s time could the Reds master the art of victory against the Real Madrid. Consign those unwanted memories to the dustbin, even if only for now. This was a remarkably complete performance throughout the team.

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Across those eight games, the Spaniards have found so many perverse and painful ways to beat the Reds. From Loris Karius's Kiev calamities, behind-closed-doors game played at training grounds and even a surreal 5-2 comeback victory at Anfield, Liverpool fans have been made to take their medicine against the most successful side in European Cup history. Throw in one of the all-time goalkeeping performances in Paris two years ago by Thibaut Courtois in the final and it's tempting to ask if los Blancos had made a pact with the devil at some point when it came to clashes between these two.

So this no doubt felt cathartic for those on the Kop, whose hopes of belated payback were carried out to the letter by the players. Liverpool are the best team in Europe right now and there can be little debate about it any longer.

And with five minutes of normal time remaining, there was a chant that broke out on the Kop that supporters perhaps never thought they'd sing when faced against the La Liga giants. But their insistence that Liverpool were "taking the p***" was genuine.

With a two-goal cushion as they pressed, probed and gave their struggling, exhausted visitors the runaround, it was hard to disagree, even if the scoreline did not immediately reflect their second-half dominance or their collective brilliance. They are getting used to singing about being top of the league too. Back at the summit of the revamped Champions League to fit neatly with their status as Premier League leaders.

An absorbing first half was an enjoyable if incomplete watch which failed to yield any major, clear-cut chances for either side, but Darwin Nunez was lively throughout, forcing defenders into decisions with and without the ball and the running power and enthusiasm of the No.9 caused real problems throughout.

The Reds dominated the ball at times but were unable to apply the killer pass or the required finish. Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch also impressed against the exalted Madrid midfield containing Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham alongside Eduardo Camavinga.

Nunez had the best chance of the half when his prod was saved by Courtois before the giant Belgian punched away Luis Diaz's attempts to play in the No.9 with a looping header across goal. One thunderous tackle from Conor Bradley on Kylian Mbappe to deny a counter-attack was celebrated like a goal by the Anfield crowd and led to a good spell shortly before the interval.

Liverpool had their lead their second-half start deserved when Mac Allister and the outstanding Bradley linked up to devastating effect on the edge of Madrid's box before the latter smartly slid it past Courtois. It was a goal of real class.

That was the signal for Carlo Ancelotti to shuffle his pack and Mbappe moved centrally before a penalty was won by substitute Lucas Vazquez. Up stepped France superstar Mbappe only to see Caoimhin Kelleher upstage him with an excellent stop. The Irishman, who was instantly mobbed by his team-mates, has been integral to this near-perfect run since Alisson Becker hobbled off at Crystal Palace in early October. He deserves the chance to shine once more when Manchester City come to town on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah showed Ferland Mendy a clean pair of heels before he was tripped but the 12-goal Egyptian fluffed his lines from the penalty spot. It was a consolation for Mbappe as Salah proved that even the very best can miss from 12 yards occasionally...

Cody Gakpo, on for Darwin Nunez, powered home a second from Robertson's cross and that was enough to extinguish any flickering hopes of a white-shirted fightback. Not this time.

Liverpool, to a man, were excellent but a special word of praise needs reserving for Jones, whose performance at times veered on the spectacular. In a midfield battle that contained World Cup and Ballon d'Or winners in Mac Allister and Luka Modric, as well as one of the biggest stars in the game in £115m Jude Bellingham, it was the academy graduate who upstaged them all. His energy, class and maturity were all on display in spades and he simply has to start now this weekend.

An honourable mention too for Bradley, who made light of the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold with a swashbuckling display that both nullified Mbappe and caused no end of problems for the visitors defensively too. A muscle injury in the closing stages was harsh and an anxious wait now ensues.

The man himself will be best placed to inform but with Real Madrid here to be followed up by a visit from Manchester City in the Premier League to go 11 clear with victory, there's an argument to suggest this is the biggest week of Slot's coaching career. If that is accurate then part one could not possibly have gone better.

If it's taken just six months to get the Real Madrid monkey of the Liverpool’s back, then just imagine what Slot can achieve in a full season. Sunday against Pep Guardiola might be hugely instructive towards that overall aim.