Tables have turned as Reds face Real Madrid a year on

Liverpool faced Real Madrid and Manchester City in a week and, at the end of it, it was reasonable to conclude they were the best team in the world at that point.

- RICHARD JOLLY SENIOR FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT

The statement requires the use of the past tense because it was a year ago, when Liverpool beat the reigning champions of Europe and England in a heady few days. No such claims could be made now. Not after victory over Aston Villa merely reduced their recent record to six defeats in eight.

It is a quirk of the fixture list that, in another autumn, Liverpool have the same doubleheader. Now, however, they are not top of either the Premier or the Champions League. Arne Slot identified other differences.

“It is not the same because last season we played them both at home and now one of them is away. It is not the same because last season we faced a Real Madrid who had many injuries and now they haven’t. It is not the same because last season we were a different team than now,” he said.

If the short response is that they were both a better one and a cheaper one, with the £450m refit yet to reap a footballing dividend, Real come into a reunion with 13 wins in 14 games.

A year ago, Liverpool boasted the same record. A year ago, Real’s absentees included Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal. Now Liverpool will be without Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong and Alisson Becker.