Liverpool 4 Bayer Leverkusen 0 – Slot puts Alonso in the shade while Diaz lights up Anfield

On the evening that Xabi Alonso made an emotional return to Anfield, his counterpart Arne Slot was another reminder of why Liverpool fans don't long for what might have happened with their former midfielder as head coach.

The Dutchman, chosen as Jürgen Klopp's successor this summer, maintained his perfect Champions League record with his new club, recording a fourth straight win, while Luis Diaz scored a second-half hat-trick and another goal from Cody Gakpo overwhelmed Alonso's German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

It wasn't a perfect performance but another win keeps the feel-good factor going for Liverpool, who will now focus on extending their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

We analyze the big moments in Liverpool's 4-0 win.

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Slot's big bets pay off

Slot's masterful move to use winger Diaz as a center forward tonight instead of deploying Darwin Nunez in attack reaped rich rewards.

The first half had been frustrating for Diaz, but after creating the moment of magic, the game desperately craved a pass from Curtis Jones in the 61st minute before he coolly lifted the ball over Lukas Hradecky for the To open the scoring cycle. he never looked back.

Jones' contribution to the goal was also significant, with Slot's second key spot ahead of Dominik Szoboszlai in central midfield being the other key decision. He stepped into the middle to interrupt Leverkusen's attacking flow and secure a regular place.

It felt fitting that on a night when so much attention was paid to the man on the away bench, Slot should remind every Liverpool fan how special he was He is as a manager.

Admittedly, Diaz only had 18 touches of the ball in the first half – the second fewest on the pitch after Gakpo – but when it mattered most, he was there to make the difference. His other two strikes from close range for his second and third goals were more instinctive but no less impressive.

With 14 wins from 16 games and only one loss so far, everything Slot touches turns into gold.

Greg Evans

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Salah's creative masterclass

Mohamed Salah has scored 18 goals in 16 games in all competitions for Liverpool this season and continues to take his game to new levels. The Egyptian remains a key creative force for them even at the age of 32 and has developed particularly well when it comes to leading his teammates on the right wing.

An early story this season is his precise cross to the back post and tonight he added two assists with crosses towards that area, first for Gakpo who made it 2-0 and then for Diaz as the Colombian scored the second of his Hat-trick series scored. Trick.

Giving Salah an extra meter of space to deliver such teasing balls into the box appears to be a tactic Liverpool are working on. The clever overlapping movement of those around him in midfield and on the right often knocks opposing defenders out of position and gives him the freedom to wreak havoc.

Liverpool's record striker is one of just four players to have started each of their Premier League and Champions League games so far and he continues to show his mettle.

Greg Evans

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Alonso's tactics were right – but not enough

The game against Leverkusen was probably the biggest test of the season for Slot. Arsenal posed a strong challenge in the league at the end of last month, but Liverpool met the latest version of Europe's invincibles here – and they frustrated Slot's team for a long time.

Leverkusen, who won the 2023/24 Bundesliga title without losing a game, were disciplined and aggressive in possession and pushed Liverpool, who were looking to build up from the back. As Slot's men moved beyond the halfway line, the Germans' defensive 4-4-2 structure – which allowed Alex Grimaldo to advance into the midfield line – was strong in holding off central areas and pushing the ball wide to Gakpo and Salah.

While Alonso's side have suffered a slight dip in form this season, they conceded just 24 goals in the Bundesliga last season – a defensive record bettered only by Serie A champions Inter Milan (22) in Europe's top five domestic leagues became .

Alonso likes his team to dominate possession and there were periods tonight where Leverkusen, led by the metronome Granit Xhaka, strung together longer plays. Yet somehow, just like they did here against Brighton at the weekend, Liverpool can blow teams away in a matter of moments.

Alonso, the old Liverpool man, hardly needs reminding of the club's ability to score goals in quick succession on the European stage. While Leverkusen largely got their tactics right, they succumbed to the Anfield atmosphere.

They are not the first to have this happen, and they will not be the last.

Mark Carey

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Are Liverpool's first halves a cause for concern?

There hasn't been much to complain about at Liverpool this season, but if there is one area of ​​concern, it's their first-half performances.

Admittedly, this was the first of four 2024-25 Champions League games in which Liverpool failed to score before half-time, and in the Premier League they have scored in the first 45 minutes in seven of the 10 games. But that felt like a first phase where they showed Leverkusen a little too much respect.

The team acted cautiously and cautiously, lacked attacking power and the guests had 58 percent possession of the ball.

Both teams' xG progress graph during the game highlights how evenly matched they were in the first half.

In some ways it was similar to the weekend's performance against Brighton, although not quite as overtly so. Leverkusen found ways through the midfield and that became a problem as Liverpool only won 39 percent of their duels. Jeremie Frimpong had the ball in the net, but his shot was rightly disallowed due to a handball in the build-up game.

What is clear is that Liverpool's second-half performances have been better of late, having fallen behind early in their last two Premier League games and struggling to find a breakthrough tonight. That was also the case tonight when Liverpool stepped on the accelerator after the break, but that's something Slot needs to think about.

Greg Evans

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What did Slot say?

Liverpool's head coach was delighted with his side's second-half performance, putting it down to them taking more “risks”.

“They (Leverkusen) overloaded the midfield a lot and we adjusted a half and took the risk of playing one-on-one,” Slot told Amazon Prime, the game’s British broadcaster. “We had the better chances in the first half and they weren't a goal threat.

“As a manager, you don’t look at the next three months. You're always one game at a time. We have Aston Villa on Saturday, another tough game.”

Slot also paid tribute to Jones for his defense-splitting pass that set Diaz on his way to a hat-trick and Liverpool to victory. “Curtis made an incredible pass and then you have someone with the speed of Lucho (Diaz) finishing the whole thing,” he said. “In my opinion, the pass was just as good as the goal.”

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What's next for Liverpool?

Saturday November 9th: Aston Villa (H), Premier League, 8:00 p.m. GMT, 3:00 p.m. ET

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(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)