Liverpool defeated German champion Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday thanks to a spectacular hat-trick from Luis Diaz in the second half.
With the treble, the Colombian international helped propel Liverpool to the top of the Champions League standings and kept the team’s record at 100% in the premier division of European club soccer this season.
In the 61st minute at Anfield, Diaz foolishly lifted the ball over Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to open the score.In the second minute of stoppage time, he finished his hat trick after scoring once more in the 83rd.
Liverpool’s other goal in the 63rd was headed in by Cody Gakpo.
Diaz increased his season tally to nine goals, and with four straight victories, Liverpool is now two points ahead of Sporting Lisbon, who are now in second place.
The ‘wonderful’ moment that altered everything for Liverpool versus Leverkusen is named by Cody Gakpo
In Tuesday’s Champions League match at Anfield, Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo acknowledged that Luis Diaz’s incredible chip to open the opener changed everything against Bayer Leverkusen.
On Xabi Alonso’s return to Anfield, the Reds easily defeated Leverkusen 4-0, although the result didn’t accurately reflect the first hour of play. After Liverpool opened the floodgates, it seemed impossible to stop them, despite the opening sixty minutes being quite cagey.After 61 minutes, Liverpool took the lead thanks to a brilliant pass from Curtis Jones to Diaz, who hoisted the ball over Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. Two minutes later, Gakpo extended the lead with a close-range header. Diaz finished from close range to complete a late hat-trick, then slotted home Darwin Nunez’s rebounding effort.
Although Gakpo was ecstatic following the match, he denied that it was Liverpool’s best victory of the year. “4-0 is, in my opinion, a good outcome against a top-tier squad. It’s a decent one, but I’m not sure if it’s the best.”They (Leverkusen) play a very good game, a very tough opponent but we kept going,” the Dutch forward continued. We continued to attempt, create opportunities, and play good defense. Finally, the objective arrived. The first goal set the tone for the match.
Curtis made a fantastic pass, and Lucho had a fantastic finish. Opening the game was crucial, in my opinion, and scoring the second goal was a little simpler after that. After a dull first half, the Liverpool supporters helped the team win, and Gakpo went on to say, “They play a very big part.”
Liverpool is the only team to win all four of their first games, and the victory puts them atop the Champions League standings. Aston Villa, a Premier League team, can match Liverpool’s start by defeating Club Brugge on the road on Wednesday, but the Reds have a greater goal differential.For Alonso, who hasn’t seen a competitive match at the storied stadium since 2009, it was a difficult return to Anfield. Before moving to Real Madrid for $38 million, Alonso spent five years at Anfield after signing a contract with Liverpool in 2004.
Before kickoff, Alonso was thrilled to be back, even though his mood had soured by the end of the game. “It feels great,” Alonso said to Amazon Prime prior to the game. “The Champions League at Anfield is as good as it gets.
“I’m really anticipating the game. Although I was unable to return as a player, I have returned as a manager. In the summer, Alonso was rumored to be taking Jurgen Klopp’s place, but he chose to remain in Germany, which led Liverpool to recruit Arne Slot.