Rio Ngumoha did not score in a seven-goal thriller at Anfield, but the night belonged to the 18-year-old as Liverpool came from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in the Champions League.

On a record-breaking evening for Europe’s elite competition, Phil Foden scored a hat-trick in Manchester City’s 5-1 defeat of AEK Athens, and 40 goals were scored across nine matches.

Rio’s night

Liverpool were woeful for much of the first half and trailed by two goals before Ngumoha began to turn the tide. After Alexis Mac Allister pulled one back, the winger found space to dink a delightful ball for Ronald Araujo to equalise.

After the break, Ngumoha skipped past Sergi Cardona and held off Juan Foyth to set up Mac Allister to give Liverpool the lead. Florian Wirtz added what proved a vital fourth.

By the time Ngumoha was replaced by Bradley Barcola in the 74th minute, chants of “Rio, Rio, Rio” had repeatedly rung around Anfield. He was named Uefa’s player of the match, and at the final whistle Duran Duran’s Rio was played over the stadium speakers.

He had 12 touches in the opposition penalty area, completed seven of eight dribbles and registered two assists. At 18 years and 52 days, he became the youngest Liverpool player to score or assist in the Champions League, and the third-youngest to provide multiple assists in a Champions League game, behind Warren Zaïre-Emery and Theo Walcott.

“It’s up there with one of the best I’ve played. I enjoyed myself out there and the team helped me a lot,” Ngumoha told Amazon Prime. “Whenever I get the ball and there’s an opportunity to go one versus one, or two versus one, I believe in myself to do it. I’ll just keep going and be ruthless.”

“We were two goals down but the mentality was always there,” he added. “These records are amazing to break but winning is the most important.”

Iraola: ‘Still not the full package’

It was only the second time Liverpool had won a European Cup or Champions League match after trailing by two goals – the first also coming against Villarreal, in the semi-finals in May 2022.

Head coach Andoni Iraola said: “They were much better than us in the first half, and we were much better in the second half. When we’ve been under pressure, we answered well. When we relaxed, we made mistakes.” He warned that his side had “started losing too many goals this season”.

Iraola praised Ngumoha’s adaptation to playing on the right but added: “He is only 18 and still not the full package. There will be ups and downs in the process, but I’m happy because attitude-wise I think he’s in a great place.” Talks continue over a new contract for the England international, whose current deal runs until 2028. Liverpool face Brighton next.

Foden’s hat-trick

At the Etihad, Foden had a hand in four of City’s five goals against AEK Athens, becoming only the third Englishman to score a hat-trick and provide an assist in a Champions League match, after Wayne Rooney in 2004 and Raheem Sterling in 2019.

Manager Enzo Maresca made eight changes and gave Erling Haaland the night off after a blow to the foot, allowing Foden to play as a false nine. The visitors briefly pulled the score back to 2-1 early in the second half before City pulled away.

“Slowly, but surely,” Foden said when asked if he was returning to his best. “Still got a long way to go, but I am going in the right direction.” Maresca said: “I said since day one that I consider him one of the best English players.”

A goals boom

The 187 goals scored so far this season have come at an average of 4.16 a game – the highest in Champions League history and the third highest in the history of the European Cup, behind only 1959-60 (4.19) and 1955-56 (4.38).

Last week’s second matchday produced 78 goals, a record, including 46 on a single Wednesday. With 40 on Tuesday alone, this week’s round is already halfway to matching it.

Not everyone is convinced. The Times football writer Tom Arnott told BBC Radio 5 Live that the league format, in which 24 of 36 teams survive the opening phase, reduced jeopardy. “The entertainment value is there but I think you come away from these matches sometimes and still think ‘what does it all mean?’” he said. The second half of the round is played on Wednesday night.