Liverpool had no answers to Ronaldo and Benzema’s deadly combination on Wednesday night at Anfield. (Source: AP)

Real Madrid earned their first-ever win over Liverpool with a wondrous Cristiano Ronaldo goal spearheading a 3-0 Champions League victory at Anfield on Wednesday which appeared as classy as it was dominant.

Ronaldo’s glorious 23rd minute strike and a double from Karim Benzema sealed the champions’ triumph before halftime, leaving Real’s Portuguese icon insisting his side were in the mood to become the first team in the Champions League era to successfully defend the title.

“We know it’ll be very tough but we know it’s possible if we play like that,” said Ronaldo, after scoring his 70th Champions League goal, which puts him within one of equalling Raul’s all-time record.

He had a chance to share the mark but was thwarted by a point blank second half save from Simon Mignolet.

“I’m not worried about that (Raul’s record) I know I’m going to beat his record today or another game. Me and Messi (69 goals) are very close,” said Ronaldo.

The roar of one of Europe’s most vociferous crowds, which contributed to a bright start for the hosts as they hoped to see Liverpool improve on their three-game, 100 percent record over Real in European competition, was muted once Ronaldo scored the most brilliant of openers.

There looked to be little cause for alarm as Ronaldo flitted around in midfield and passed to James Rodriguez, who was surrounded by red shirts. Yet a delightful, dinked pass somehow picked out Ronaldo again and his first-time finish, taken early almost on the half-volley, was exquisite.

It proved the signal for Real to take over and Liverpool’s suspect defence to lose concentration under pressure.

Liverpool should have cleared their lines long before Benzema’s precise, looping header from Toni Kroos’s cross effectively put the game beyond their reach.

The third was a scrappy, messy affair, with Liverpool again guilty of missing a couple of opportunities to clear a corner before the ball fell obligingly for Benzema to nudge home his second.

After Philippe Coutinho almost pulled one back with a searing shot which hit the post, Liverpool were resigned to having to claw back a three-goal deficit in a Champions League match for the first time since they did just that against AC Milan in the 2005 Istanbul final.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti, in charge of the Milan side which threw away that lead, was not about to let history repeat itself.

“No I forgot this,” he said, when asked about that Istanbul night. “I told the players that in football anything can happen. I know really well these (Liverpool) supporters. I told my players to stay focussed for the second half.”

Madrid never looked threatened despite Liverpool seeming a little livelier, thanks in part to the tactical substitution of Mario Balotelli, who was replaced at halftime by Adam Lallana.

Ancelotti, who felt it was the best Madrid had played all season, even had the luxury of being able to take off Ronaldo 15 minutes from the end with a view to the weekend’s Clasico against Barcelona and his champion player was thrilled to be given a resounding reception from the Kop.

“It was special,” said Ronaldo, who felt that with Madrid now having a maximum nine points from their three games, qualification was “75 percent” assured.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager who now faces a difficult qualification route with his side having three points alongside Ludogorets and Basel, had no complaints about being beaten by a team of such quality.

“You can see Real’s quality. Speed, technique; you can see why they are champions. The second and third goals are from set-pieces again. It’s an issue for us and we have to be better than that.”

Anderlecht’s players walked off the pitch looking like men who had just shredded their winning lottery tickets on Wednesday as Arsenal scored twice late on to rob them of a rare and thoroughly deserved Champions League win.

After a run of 10 Champions League fixtures without a win, Andy Najar’s 71st minute header gave the Belgium side the lead and the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium was rocking.

Only the woodwork denied them a second killer goal before Arsenal, who apart from Alexis Sanchez had been insipid throughout, suddenly woke up to the fact that their Champions League campaign was coming off the rails.

In the 89th minute Calum Chambers launched a high cross from the right and left back Kieran Gibbs connected with a stunning left-foot volley without breaking stride.

That silenced the home crowd but a minute later their heads were in their hands as Sanchez wriggled through in the area and his cross fell to substitute Lukas Podolski who thrashed home the unlikeliest of winners.

It was rough luck on Anderlecht who suffered a sixth successive home defeat in the competition, while Arsenal, despite playing as poorly as they did in a 2-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund in their opening match, gleefully took the points that kept them on course for the last 16.

Their manager Arsene Wenger could probably have found less stressful ways to celebrate his 65th birthday.

Defeat would have put Arsenal’s slow-starting season under more scrutiny, as it was the Frenchman could afford a smile.

“In the second half we opened ourselves up and got caught,” he told Sky Sports. “The crucial point was when it was 1-0 they couldn’t take advantage of the chance to score the second and we kept going and managed to score two good goals.

“Anderlecht played well tonight and showed that this country produces top class players.

“It was vital for us because we are in a strong position to qualify now,” added Wenger, whose side are second in Group D with six points, three behind Dortmund but five ahead of both Anderlecht and Galatasaray.

“If we win our home games we are through.”

With Anderlecht at home next, Arsenal should qualify for the knockout rounds for the 12th consecutive season, but should they do that they will need to raise their game against the big guns.

NOISE LEVELS

Neither side managed a shot on target in a forgettable first half. Santi Cazorla fluffed Arsenal’s best chance while Gunners keeper Emiliano Martinez, making his Champions League debut in the absence of suspended Wojciech Szczesny and injured David Ospina, had precious little work to do.

After the tepid first half fare the second period began in more promising fashion with Ibrahima Conte raising the noise levels with a shot deflected wide.

Arsenal responded minutes later when Sanchez found himself unmarked with his back to goal in the six-yard box but he failed to angle his header away from grateful keeper Silvio Proto.

It was the hosts who made the breakthrough though with 19 minutes remaining and it was goal of real quality.

Najar played the ball to Dennis Praet who twisted and turned Arsenal’s lumbering defence before clipping the perfect cross to the far post where Najar dispatched a firm header past Martinez.

It almost got better for Anderlecht when Anthony Vanden Borre’s miss-hit shot looped against the post with Arsenal’s defence playing the role of statues.

Sanchez then rustled the side-netting with a free kick but Anderlecht looked the more likely to score as the crowd began chanting ‘ole’s’ with every successful home pass.

It all went sour for Anderlecht though as first left back Gibbs produced his moment of quality and then, revived, the visitors sensed a smash and grab raid.

With the clock ticking to 90, Podolski, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, stole the points