Liverpool sink Leverkusen on Alonso's return to Anfield
| Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images |
Ex-Liverpool player Xabi Alonso returned to Anfield Road as a coach on Tuesday night, taking Bayer Leverkusen to face his former club.
The first half was a tactical affair with neither side really threatening. Leverkusen had the ball in the net just before the break, but Jeremie Frimpong's goal was ruled out for a handball.
But the second half was a different story, and Liverpool finally drew first blood just after the hour mark when Curtis Jones' pass released Luis Diaz, who chipped Lukas Hradecky to make it 1-0.
And just four minutes later - on 65 minutes - Liverpool doubled their advantage when Cody Gakpo, completely unmarked, headed in Mohamed Salah's cross.
Victor Boniface's powerful 69th-minute header flew inches wide of the right-hand post, but that was as close as Leverkusen came to a comeback, with Liverpool instead putting the game to bed in the 83rd minute.
Once again it was Mohamed Salah who provided the assist as he picked out Luis Diaz, who brought the ball down and slotted it past Hradecky to make it 3-0.
In stoppage time, Luis Diaz completed his hat-trick, collecting the ball after Darwin Nunez's shot had been blocked to seal the result.
The result leaves Liverpool at the top of the Champions League table with 12 points, while Leverkusen have seven after four games.