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The national media round0up of Liverpool's 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League as Arne Slot's side go top of the table
Xabi Alonso tries his best to get his Bayer Leverkusen going amid a second-half barrage from his former club Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday night(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Liverpool soared to the top of the Champions League table with a 4-0 demolition of Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday evening.
Cody Gakpo's header and a first-ever Reds hat-trick for Luis Diaz sealed a memorable victory for Arne Slot, whose side moved about Aston Villa ahead of their meeting with Club Brugge on Wednesday.
The ECHO was at Anfield to provide our usual mix of player ratings, post-match analysis and verdict, while our colleagues from the national media were also on hand to give their own considered takes.
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And here's how they saw proceedings at Anfield...
READ MORE:'To say it in words' - Xabi Alonso makes Anfield atmosphere admission and sends Liverpool messageREAD MORE:Liverpool player ratings as Luis Diaz and three others shine against Bayer Leverkusen
The Times' Paul Joyce reflected: "For as far as Arne Slot could see, the view would have been to his liking.
Up in the stands Liverpool supporters savoured another comprehensive victory while Bayer Leverkusen were left crestfallen.
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"If he peered a little further he would see that his side now sit at the summit of both the Premier League and Champions League.
But everything in between saw his Bayer Leverkusen team outclassed by Liverpool and Arne Slot.
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"Luis Diaz scored a second-half hat-trick after starting as a No 9, Mohamed Salah kept up his case for being not just the club's greatest goalscorer but best creator - and Slot again showed why he - not fans'-desired choice Alonso – was the right man to replace Jurgen Klopp all along."
Chris Bascombe, of The Telegraph, writes: "All hail the Arne Slot evolution and the continued rise of his Liverpool team of the tweak.
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.
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"Luis Diaz was handed a rare start as a central striker and produced the first hat-trick of his Liverpool career.
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."
And writing in his ECHO analysis, Ian Doyle states: "It says much about the start Arne Slot has made as Liverpool boss that there was no sign of lament when Xabi Alonso made his return to Anfield.
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"The former Reds midfielder had been the favourite of supporters to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the dugout only to declare in March his intention to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for the immediate future, Slot then emerging as the preferred candidate.
"And the manner in which he has continued to improve the squad inherited from Klopp explained why the chant of 'Xabi Alonso' that boomed around Anfield in the closing moments was in recognition of a returning son rather than a call for him to remain on the touchline.
"Alonso, for his part, found some traditions too difficult to resist, waiting ahead of kick-off until both teams had left the tunnel before touching the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign.
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