Liverpool stunned by Fenerbahce to lose perfect Champions League record
Even Liverpool 's multi-million pound bench could not rescue a team floundering in Istanbul as a chaotic performance was punished by Fenerbahce as they twice came from behind to win 3-2. Alexander Isak had scored within three minutes of coming on to put the visitors ahead going into the final quarter but, like in the first half, the lead lasted just four minutes before former West Brom trainee Archie Brown equalised courtesy of some lax defending.
But worse was to follow as Vedat Muriqi outjumped three players to nod in the winner and end Liverpool's 100 per cent record. It was a harsh result on 19-year-old Trey Nyoni, who belied his relative inexperience with a composed performance capped by an excellent volley to open the scoring, becoming Liverpool's youngest player to register his maiden goal in the Champions League and second-youngest scorer in the competition after Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Many of Liverpool's players did not cope well in that atmosphere but, to his immense credit, Nyoni shone. Iraola's choice to leave out Isak, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo as they come to the end of a run of nine games in 27 days was understandable but it left his side toothless.
Bradley Barcola was deployed as striker but his unfamiliarity with the role was evident after failing to properly anticipate Joe Gomez's low cross to the near post. He did flick one header wide but struggled with the physicality of Fenerbahce's centre-backs, even though Kojo Oppong was making his first Champions League start.
There was a lot of naivety within the visitors' ranks - Victor Munoz snatched at an early chance when he was found in acres of space before redeeming himself by eventually forcing Ederson into a save - but none of it came from Nyoni. The teenager was composed on just his seventh Champions League appearance - with everything going through him at the base of midfield.
His use of the ball, tactical awareness and unshakeable belief in his own ability meant amid the hurly burly of a typically Turkish clash he was head and shoulders above everyone else. Many of Liverpool's players did not cope well in that atmosphere but, to his immense credit, Nyoni shone.
Even the usually unflappable Virgil van Dijk's patience was tested, pushing Irfan Kahveci to the floor at a second-half corner, having twice had Romelu Lukaku leave something on him in the early stages. When Liverpool's breakthrough came it was fully deserved as Rio Ngumoha's cross to the far post saw Van Dijk's pressure force Brown to head weakly to the edge of the penalty area where Nyoni dispatched the dropping ball via a deflection off Oppong.
But after a sliding Kahveci smashed against the crossbar from five yards, Greenwood's free-kick went through the wall. Isak headed in Gakpo's cross with his first chance after those two and Wirtz were summoned in the 66th minute, but the unmarked Brown tapped in the equaliser and more poor defending saw Muriqi head home the winner.