Video: Liverpool fix Van Dijk's mistake with a thrilling comeback, and Foden's hat-trick leads City to a crushing win

City win in Haaland's absence

Liverpool fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on Tuesday evening in the third round of the Champions League league phase, while Manchester City thrashed Greek visitors AEK Athens 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

That made it three wins from three for Liverpool. A perfect record leaves them second on 9 points, behind Paris Saint-Germain only on goal difference.

Villarreal, meanwhile, sit 19th with just 3 points.

City's five goals reached 6 points in sixth place, soothing the wounds of last round's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

AEK Athens prop up the group alongside them in 27th, also on 3 points.

Liverpool's comeback

Villarreal raced into a two-goal lead through Georges Mikautadze and Sergi Cardona in the 4th and 29th minutes. The opener came courtesy of a Virgil van Dijk error, the defender playing a loose ball back to his own goalkeeper.

Liverpool rallied before the break. Alexis Mac Allister and Ronald Araujo struck in the 36th and 45+3rd minutes to level things up.

Mac Allister then grabbed his second to put the hosts in front for the first time in the 65th minute, and four minutes later Florian Wirtz made it four.

Villarreal refused to roll over. Tani Oluwaseyi pulled one back three minutes before the end of normal time, but there was not enough time left to find an equaliser.

Foden shines in Haaland's absence

Elliot Anderson put City ahead 12 minutes in, before Phil Foden doubled the lead in the 34th minute.

Stavros Pilios halved the deficit seven minutes into the second half, only for Rayan Cherki to restore the two-goal cushion in the 57th minute.

Foden then added two more in the 65th and 76th minutes to complete his hat-trick and seal a big win. He did it without striker Erling Haaland, whom coach Enzo Maresca chose to rest on the bench for the entire match.