Joel Matip's late header earned Liverpool a 2-1 win over Ajax as their Champions League campaign finally had lift off at Anfield
Beaten badly by Napoli last week, the scrutiny on Jurgen Klopp's side looked set to be amplified when Mohammed Kudus cancelled out Mohamed Salah's opener early on
 But Matip rose to head home with minutes remaining to win it for Liverpool
European nights at Anfield are often stirring occasions but the emotions were a little different on this occasion following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday
 No Champions League anthem
 Instead a moment of silence, that was impeccably observed but for a few isolated shouts from a handful of supporters
The action took centre-stage thereafter and Liverpool's attacking play was encouraging from the outset
 Diogo Jota was lively up front in his first start of the season
 Thiago helped the team rediscover a little of the rhythm that had been lacking during his recent absence
It was Jota who was the architect of the opening goal of the game, feeding a pass through to Salah who did the rest
 The Kop had been chanting the Egyptian's name just before, willing him to end a run of four games without a goal
 Their faith was rewarded instantly
But although further chances fell to Luis Diaz, Jota and Salah, there was a familiar weakness on show too
 Kudus' equaliser came from nowhere in one sense but from an entirely predictable source in another - Liverpool's right flank again, so often so open
Such is the trade off with Trent Alexander-Arnold
 The right-back was soon showing what he could do at the other end, forcing a double stop from Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer
 Virgil van Dijk might have done better with his headers too
 The goal just would not come
Those wasted opportunities almost proved even more costly when Kudus came close to a second goal on the counter-attack after the break before Daley Blind headed just wide of the far post with Alisson beaten
 But it was Matip who had the final word
This was not quite the reinvention of Liverpool that Klopp had hoped for
 In fact, it could even have been a damaging defeat had Ajax not spurned those sporadic chances in the second half
 But the Liverpool manage could not hide his delight afterwards
And with good reason
 This was huge
 One point from two Champions League games going into a double header against Rangers would have been fraught with difficulty
 Now there is some relief, some optimism, and maybe something to build the season on
The atmosphere had been a little subdued in the early part of the game but it reached a crescendo in those closing moments and that was a credit to Liverpool's ambition
 Klopp threw on the attacking substitutes and was rewarded with the winning goal
It was not a substitute who scored the goal but Liverpool's depth did make a difference and they will hope to have more players fit and fresh following the international break
 The rhythm is not quite there yet but that goal still felt like a big moment in their season
The Liverpool manager had called for a response from his players after that humiliating defeat in Naples and though the winning goal came late he got it
"I think if we put the two games next to each other you would not recognise it as the same squad
 Braver, more ready, everything was better
"I think the story of the game is kind of typical
 We played a lot of good stuff against a strong side, full of confidence, absolutely convinced by how they play, and we caused them a lot of problems
"We are 1-0 up and we concede with the first chance of the opponent
 That is what I mean by typical
 A proper setback
 The reaction was OK [but] the pressing was not as convincing as before
"That is what we tried to do in the second half
 It was clear we had to keep trying to play football
 We did that really well
"Sometimes you have to wait a bit longer
 It was a set-piece but I don't think that was a surprise
 The face of Joel showed exactly how we all felt
"Klopp also commented on Chelsea owner Todd Boehly's suggestion of a Premier League 'All-Star' game between the north and south of England
"When he finds a date for that, he can call me," said the bemused Liverpool boss
"In the big sports in America, they have four-month breaks
 It is completely different in football
"Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well?"I am not sure people want to see that
 Did he really say that?"October 4:  (H) - kick-off 8pmOctober 12: (A) - kick-off 8pmOctober 26:  (A) - kick-off 8pmNovember 1:  (H) - kick-off 8pmLiverpool do not have a Premier League game at the weekend following the postponement of their trip to Chelsea
 They return to action on the first day of October when Brighton are the visitors to Anfield
 Their next Champions League fixture follows that when they play host to Rangers on October 4
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