Alexis Mac Allister may have learned an important lesson this week: when it comes to securing a new contract, performances on the pitch are usually more convincing than comments made in front of the cameras.

The Argentine midfielder already has an impressive collection of achievements. He is a World Cup winner, a Premier League champion and an established member of Liverpool’s midfield. Yet even players with that level of experience can occasionally make mistakes, particularly when discussing their futures publicly.

Mac Allister’s comments about his Liverpool contract had created an awkward backdrop before the Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid. The midfielder had openly expressed his disappointment about not receiving a new contract offer, and the timing of those remarks was difficult to ignore. Whether his comments were simply poorly judged or deliberately intended to put pressure on the club is something only Mac Allister himself can know.

For Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, however, the situation was undoubtedly less than ideal. Having taken charge only recently, with just three significant matches under his belt, Iraola would have preferred to concentrate entirely on preparing his team for one of the biggest challenges of the opening part of the season.

But once the match began, Mac Allister had the perfect opportunity to answer any questions about his value with his football.

And answer them he did.

With Liverpool trailing Atletico Madrid, Mac Allister produced a stunning strike from around 20 yards. The shot was struck with such power, accuracy and conviction that it completely changed the atmosphere inside the stadium. It was the kind of goal that made a strong argument for why Liverpool should want to keep the midfielder at the club.

If Mac Allister can continue producing decisive moments like that, the question of a new contract may eventually answer itself. A player who consistently delivers match-winning performances is likely to find his negotiating position strengthened considerably.

Liverpool desperately needed his contribution, too. Their Champions League opener had initially developed into a difficult evening against Diego Simeone’s experienced and highly disciplined Atletico Madrid side.

The visitors took the lead after only 17 minutes. Julian Alvarez found Marcos Llorente, who moved into a dangerous position before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Alisson Becker and into the net. It was another reminder of Llorente’s effectiveness against Liverpool. The goal was his fifth against the English club, accounting for half of his entire Champions League scoring record.

At that point, Atletico looked comfortable and Liverpool appeared unusually uncertain.

Simeone’s teams have long been recognised for their ability to frustrate opponents. They defend aggressively, compete for every ball and are extremely effective at disrupting the rhythm of technically gifted teams. Liverpool found themselves dealing with a familiar Atletico approach: patience, physicality and a willingness to make the game uncomfortable.

Liverpool’s defence also looked vulnerable during the opening stages. The back four appeared too spread out, creating spaces that Atletico repeatedly tried to exploit through the middle.

Liverpool had actually threatened almost immediately after kick-off. Within the first 15 seconds, Dominik Szoboszlai won possession and sent Alexander Isak through on the right. The Swedish striker had an opportunity to open the scoring but pulled his shot across the face of goal and wide.

That early chance, however, did not lead to sustained pressure. Instead, Atletico gradually gained control and began finding ways through Liverpool’s defensive structure.

Left-back Milos Kerkez was particularly noticeable. Iraola had retained the same full-backs who had started the previous league victory over Ipswich, but Kerkez endured a difficult first half. His energetic style can sometimes work against him because he appears to operate at maximum speed regardless of the situation.

His constant movement creates energy and unpredictability, but it can also produce defensive chaos. Against Atletico, that lack of control proved costly.

Kerkez was slightly deeper than the rest of Liverpool’s defensive line when Alvarez released Llorente. The Spaniard was able to run into space towards the Kop before calmly lifting the ball over Alisson.

Atletico deserved their advantage at that stage, and Liverpool struggled to respond. Their passing lacked fluency, while their defensive shape left far too much room for Atletico to attack. The absence of Ryan Gravenberch from the starting XI was particularly surprising given his importance as a defensive midfielder.

Alisson was forced into an important save in the 27th minute when Alvarez again found space in front of Liverpool’s defence. The goalkeeper prevented the visitors from extending their advantage.

Liverpool only began to look dangerous during the final ten minutes of the first half. Their increased intensity eventually produced an equaliser.

Jan Oblak made a good save to deny Florian Wirtz after Isak delivered an excellent pass towards the far post. Shortly afterwards, Kerkez showed determination in midfield to win possession and help initiate Liverpool’s equalising move.

The ball was played across the penalty area and eventually reached Bradley Barcola, whose attempt was stopped. The rebound fell into a dangerous area, allowing right-back Ronald Araujo to make a clever touch towards Szoboszlai. The Hungarian midfielder then calmly guided the ball into the corner to make it 1-1.

That goal changed the mood considerably.

Liverpool began the second half with much greater confidence, and their attacking play became more organised. Barcola had an opportunity to score his first goal for the club after Wirtz put him through, but his effort went wide.

Liverpool did not have to wait much longer for the decisive moment.

Mac Allister became the unlikely hero.

After Rio Ngumoha raced towards the byline, Atletico’s defence was forced into a hurried clearance. The ball fell perfectly for Mac Allister, who unleashed a powerful effort from approximately 20 yards. His strike flew into the net and completed Liverpool’s comeback.

The turnaround had taken only around ten minutes, transforming the game from a difficult situation into a 2-1 advantage for the home side.

The goal was particularly significant for Mac Allister given the controversy surrounding his comments about his Liverpool future just one day earlier. Instead of allowing his contract situation to dominate the conversation, he produced the kind of performance that footballers are ultimately judged on.

Liverpool still had work to do, however. Atletico refused to disappear and soon created another opportunity through Alvarez. The forward found himself in a good position around 14 yards from goal but failed to beat Alisson when he should arguably have done better.

As the match progressed, Barcola was substituted, with Liverpool hoping that his withdrawal was only the result of cramp rather than a more serious problem.

Atletico continued to push during the final 15 minutes, but Liverpool managed to protect their advantage and secure an important victory.

For Iraola, it was a major result in his first Champions League match as Liverpool manager. For Mac Allister, it was perhaps even more meaningful.

The Argentine had entered the week with questions surrounding his future and the absence of a new contract. He left the match having scored the goal that gave Liverpool a valuable European victory.

The message could hardly have been clearer: if Mac Allister wants to convince Liverpool that he deserves a new deal, more performances like this will probably do far more than anything he can say at a press conference.

For now, his future remains a talking point. But after producing a match-winning goal against Atletico Madrid, Mac Allister has certainly given Liverpool another reason to consider keeping him for the long term.