Trey Nyoni says Liverpool never panicked in Champions League comeback win

Liverpool midfielder Trey Nyoni said there was “no panic at all” after his side recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Villarreal 4-3 in a Champions League thriller at Anfield.

Villarreal established a 2-0 lead inside the opening 30 minutes, putting the Premier League side under early pressure. Liverpool responded strongly, however, and turned the match around with four goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Ronald Araujo and Florian Wirtz.

Mac Allister scored twice, while Araujo and Wirtz also found the net as Liverpool moved in front. Villarreal scored again late on, but the goal was only a consolation as Liverpool held on for maximum points.

Nyoni, whose comments were published on the Liverpool website, said the team’s confidence prevented the players from being unsettled by the difficult start.

“There was no panic at all,” he said. “Everyone believes in each other and I feel like when the team morale is like this, none of us can panic and we believe in our quality.

“You saw in the second half how we changed the game and upped the tempo a bit more, which is what we needed to do. And scored the goals.”

The match was a significant occasion for Nyoni, who made his first start in Europe’s elite club competition at the age of 19.

The midfielder said he had valued the opportunity after waiting for his chance, while also learning from watching more experienced Liverpool players in previous seasons.

“It’s special. I’ve had to wait but I feel like it’s all part of the process,” Nyoni said. “I’ve learned a lot over the last few years, even just being on the sideline watching the rest.

“My teammates help me, especially the senior players, they help me a lot when I’m on the pitch and they try to make my job as easy as possible. I can’t ask for more.”