Díaz hat-trick dashes Alonso’s hopes on Champions League return to Liverpool

The finest tribute to Xabi Alonso, Arne Slot wrote in his programme notes, “is to be the best Liverpool that we can possibly be with no quarter asked and no quarter given.” His team obliged ruthlessly, not so much rolling out the red carpet for the former Anfield favourite as pulling it from under Bayer Leverkusen and sending the German champions sprawling.

On the final whistle it was Slot’s name that rang out from the Kop, then Alonso’s. It was Liverpool’s tribute to the man who did get the job that Alonso was touted for, and his outstanding work so far. The Liverpool head coach has presided over a remarkable 14 victories from 16 matches in charge, a record for a new Premier League manager, and his team now sit top of both the Champions League table and the English top flight.

After a sterile first half, when Alonso’s tactics left Liverpool wondering who to press, the game and the hosts exploded into life after the break.

Luis Díaz was handed a rare start as a central striker and produced the first hat-trick of his Liverpool career. A thumping header from Cody Gakpo, two minutes after Díaz’s delightful opener, soon took the contest away from Leverkusen. They were dissected in the second half and a team that won the Bundesliga without losing a league game last season departed chastened.

It was a harrowing return for Alonso, who endured the heaviest defeat of his managerial reign since losing 5-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt 10 days after taking the Leverkusen job in October 2022.

It is rare to see a manager acclaimed by both sets of supporters but Alonso made for an understandable exception. The Leverkusen coach received a rapturous reception from Liverpool fans when conducting a TV interview in front of the Main Stand before kick off, and another from the travelling contingent when continuing his media rounds in their corner of the stadium.

A penny for Alonso’s thoughts when stood alongside Frank Lampard at the pundits’ podium? The pair exchanged several blows during their days in the midfields of Liverpool and Chelsea. One resulted in Alonso suffering a broken ankle early in his Anfield career.

The Leverkusen centre-forward Victor Boniface started on the left as the visitors changed their tactics in an attempt to confuse Liverpool.

They were devastated when the hosts eventually adapted. The dangerous Florian Wirtz created the best opening of the first half with a delightful chip over the Liverpool defence to Jeremie Frimpong. Rather than shoot, the Leverkusen wing-back went down too easily under the slightest touch from Virgil van Dijk.

The experienced referee, Danny Makkelie, was having none of his ambitious penalty appeals. Frimpong did beat Caoimhin Kelleher with an emphatic finish shortly before the interval but clearly handled when knocking the ball away from Kostas Tsimikas.

Liverpool had rarely tested Lukas Hradecky in the Leverkusen goal at that stage but two chances in quick succession at the end of the half, with the keeper saving at his near post from Mohamed Salah and Gakpo, signalled a change in momentum.

Liverpool’s improvement went up several gears after the break. Leverkusen sought to stall it with slow, patient play in their deep-lying defence. It was a bit too blatant for Makkelie’s liking, who booked the visiting goalkeeper for time-wasting after several warnings. Hradecky’s problems mounted when he was beaten by an exquisite Díaz chip seconds later.

Curtis Jones was integral to Liverpool’s best work. The midfielder showed neat footwork inside the penalty area to create an early chance for himself but lifted his shot high into the Kop. A surging run from Ryan Gravenberch then resulted in a clear opening for Salah, who showed why he trusts his left foot to such devastating effect by slicing well wide with his right. No matter. The threat from Liverpool persisted and Jones pierced the Leverkusen defence with a superb pass threaded behind Edmond Tapsoba and into the run of Díaz. The Colombia international waited for Hradecky to commit himself before scooping a wonderful chip over the advancing keeper.

The Bundesliga champions, like Brighton before them, were struck by a quick-fire second from Liverpool. Alonso’s side were still clearing their heads when Salah exchanged passes with Díaz and swept a fine first-time cross to the far post. Gakpo, rising unmarked, sent a thumping header past the Leverkusen keeper. Liverpool’s celebrations were initially halted by an assistant’s flag for offside. The VAR rekindled them following a lengthy review that corrected the assistant’s error.

Boniface, who struggled overall, spurned a glorious chance to reduce the arrears when heading Wirtz’s cross wide. Liverpool made him pay. Hradecky prevented Alexis Mac Allister adding a third with a good save low to his left but was beaten again when Salah floated another inviting cross over from the right. Díaz shrugged aside the attentions of substitute Jonas Hofmann before rolling a measured finish into the far corner.

Three-nil up and coasting, the Kop decided it was time to sing Alonso’s name. Díaz decided it was time for his hat-trick. Hradecky denied the substitute Darwin Núñez but the rebound fell perfectly for the makeshift striker to convert at close range.