Liverpool suffered a 3-2 defeat against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, marking their third loss in Turkey within the last 13 months. The English club has now lost twice to Galatasaray and most recently to Fenerbahce, struggling to perform amid the intense atmosphere of Turkish football stadiums.
Fenerbahce secured the victory with goals from Mason Greenwood and Archie Brown, and a winner from Vedat Muriqi. The match also marked a notable occasion for caretaker manager Dirk Kuyt, a former Liverpool fan favorite, who recorded a win in his final game before being succeeded by Emre Belozoglu.
Liverpool took the lead in the 25th minute through Trey Nyoni's first professional goal. However, Fenerbahce quickly equalized through Greenwood's free-kick, which took a deflection. Liverpool regained the lead in the second half when substitute Alexander Isak headed home, but defensive errors allowed Brown to score and level the match again.
Muriqi then sealed the win for Fenerbahce in the 79th minute with a header. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will need to address his side's defensive frailties, as they have conceded nine goals in their last three European matches.
Despite the loss, Liverpool still has work to do to secure qualification. The team jetted home immediately after the match, with fans and players likely eager to leave Turkey after another challenging visit.
MATCH FACTS: FENERBAHCE (4-3-3): Ederson 5; Semedo 5 (Muldur 75), Skriniar 6, Peprah 6, BROWN 8; Guendouzi 7, Kante 7, Yuksek 5; Greenwood 8 (Aydin 89), Lukaku 7 (Muriqi 63, 6), Kahveci 7 (Arturkoglu 75). Subs not used: Cetin, Gunok, Efe Demir, Mercan, Elmaz, Nene, Mimovic. Scorers: Greenwood 29, Brown 73, Muriqi 79. Booked: Brown, Kuyt. Manager: Dirk Kuyt 8. LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson 4; Gomez 5 (Wirtz 66, 6), Jacquet 5, Van Dijk 4, Tsimikas 4 (Kerkez 76); Nyoni 8 (Koumas 85), Mac Allister 7; Munoz 5 (Isak 66, 6), Szoboszlai 5, Ngumoha 7 (Gakpo 67, 6); Barcola 5. Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Araujo, Chambers, McConnell, Danns. Scorers: Nyoni 25. Booked: Mac Allister. Manager: Andoni Iraola 6. Referee: Clement Turpin (Fra) 5.