Brilliant Liverpool maintain 100% record as Alonso Anfield return ends in sobering defeat

Luis Diaz struck a hat-trick and Cody Gakpo was also on target as Liverpool maintained their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League with a rampant 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen that soured Xabi Alonso’s Anfield return.

The Bundesliga champions were initially well-drilled by the former Reds midfielder turned coach and restricted Arne Slot’s men to few openings in a first-half in which both sides cancelled each other out. That all changed in a two-goal surge past the hour as the Merseysiders seized control of the proceedings.

First, Diaz raced on to Curtis Jones’ sumptuous pass to produce an impish dinked finish on 61 minutes, before Gakpo’s thumping header made it two just two minutes later as VAR intervened to rule his goal onside from Mo Salah’s cross.

Diaz then put the icing on the cake seven minutes from time as he converted another superb delivery from Salah, before helping himself to the match ball with a simple finish in stoppage time. It capped a vibrant and much-improved second-half showing from the home team and left former Kop hero Alonso on the receiving end of another magical European night at Anfield.

The result sees Liverpool stand alone at the top of the UEFA Champions League group standings with four wins from four. Leverkusen are five points further back in 11th place after suffering their first loss in the competition.

Liverpool will now look to maintain top spot in the Premier League when they entertain Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday night.

Talking Point – Slot’s (Red) machine continues to impress on all fronts

Top of the UEFA Champions League’s revamped group stage and top of the Premier League; Liverpool under Arne Slot are living up to Alonso’s pre-match words describing them as currently ‘the best team in Europe.’

In an alternative universe perhaps Alonso would have been in the home dugout tonight as the successor to Jurgen Klopp.

Instead, the Leverkusen boss felt the full force of Anfield on a European night; a sensation that was once in his favour but effectively blew his German champions away in a sizzling second 45 from the Merseysiders.

It says much about Slot’s impact, that the loss of Klopp and failure to lure Alonso to Anfield in the summer is far from the minds of Kopites as the Dutchman oversaw a 14th win from 16 matches in charge.

Indeed, Liverpool continue to have the attacking force that was a feature under Klopp, but there is now a solidity at the back that is seeing them emerge as major contenders in all competitions this season.

Player of the match

Luis Diaz (Liverpool). The Colombian netted his first treble for the club, starting it off with a quite delicious, dinked finish and adding two more to cap a fine, all-action display.

Player ratings

LIVERPOOL: Kelleher 8, Alexander-Arnold 7, Konate 8, Van Dijk 8, Tsimikas 7, Jones 8, Gravenberch 8, Mac Allister 7, Salah 8, Gakpo 8, Diaz 9*. Subs: Szoboszlai 7, Nunez n/a, Robertson n/a, Bradley n/a, Quansah n/a.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Hradecky 7, Tapsoba 7, Tah 6, Hincapie 7, Frimpong 7, Palacios 6, Xhaka 6, Grimaldo 6, Wirtz 7, Garcia 6, Boniface 6. Subs: Hofmann 6, Andrich 6, Schick n/a, Tella n/a.

Match Highlights

61’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen: (Luis Diaz). Jones threads a sublime ball through for Diaz, who dinks a delicious finish beyond the ‘keeper.

63’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen: (Cody Gakpo). Gakpo thumps a brilliant header home from Salah’s supreme cross. It’s initially ruled out for offside, but VAR checks and the decision is … Onside! Liverpool have two in two minutes!

69’ – Bayer Leverkusen chance! Boniface guides a free header wide from a right-wing cross. That was a big, big chance to reduce the arrears.

83’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen: (Luis Diaz). It’s Luis Diaz at the double. The Colombian makes sure of the points as he takes down Salah’s cross and prods a close-range finish into the back of the net.

90+2’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: (Luis Diaz). Nunez leads a lightning break. He cuts inside and shoots. It’s a touch greedy but the ball falls kindly for Diaz to sweep it home and help himself to the match ball.

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