Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to 'investigate' after Real Madrid hammering

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will investigate his side's 5-2 Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, according to Reds legend Steven Gerrard. The Reds took a two-goal lead early in the game before imploding when Madrid knocked them off the pitch at Anfield.

"I think it's a reality check," Gerrard told BT Sport after the game. “You got off to the perfect start, just what you need on a European night - start fast, get in front, build on it. They led 2-0, but from that moment Real Madrid came back, scored quite quickly - a fantastic goal.

"From there Liverpool were outplayed and outplayed for long periods of time. Look, I think any team, any club, if you concede five goals there has to be an investigation to find out why and how. I'm sure Jurgen will in the next few days.

"I think everyone will be a little raw in the aftermath of this defeat - Liverpool don't concede five goals here at Anfield, and if they do, that's very rare. There's going to be a bit of introspection, bit of looking in the mirror, of course, there's always that when you concede so many goals. It wasn't good enough."

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Liverpool got off to a dream start against Madrid as Darwin Nunez fired in Mohamed Salah's cross in the fourth minute. And Salah then doubled the hosts' advantage 10 minutes later by leaping over Thibaut Courtois' heavy touch and sending the ball into the back of the net.

But the Reds were unable to build on their early lead and Real came back into the game midway through the first half when Vinicius Junior curled a delightful effort into the corner of the goal from Alison. Alisson then gave the visitors an equalizer before the break as he saw a clearing cannon wide of Vinicius and into the back of the net.

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Madrid took the lead two minutes after the break as Eder Militao headed home from a free-kick. And Rodrygo and Karim Benzema quickly exchanged passes in a fluid attacking move, with the France international seeing his effort deflected past Joe Gomez and past Alisson to put Real 4-2 up.

And Benzema kept his composure midway through the second half as he netted Madrid's fifth goal of the night at home but ended the tie ahead of the second leg in Spain next month .