LUIS DIAZ SCORED Liverpool’s first Champions League hat-trick in two years as they extended their 100 per-cent record to four matches with a 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen as former midfielder Xabi Alonso endured a miserable return to Anfield.
Diaz’s impudent chip was followed by Cody Gakpo’s fourth goal in a week as the hosts won the game within the space of three second-half minutes before Diaz added two more late on.
Liverpool’s first eight goals in the competition all came from different scorers – Diaz the first man to net more than once – and shows the options and versatility head coach Arne Slot has at his disposal as on this occasion he opted to play the Colombia international as a centre-forward to accommodate Gakpo on the left.
Last season it took Diaz until February to score the nine goals he has now, while Gakpo’s six in this campaign is equally as impressive as he is by no means a regular starter.
They are resources Alonso, who was hot favourite for the Liverpool job when Jurgen Klopp announced he was leaving before ruling himself out to concentrate on guiding his club to their first Bundesliga title, could only dream of as his side struggled to make an impression.
The Spaniard stood in his technical area for most of the game, conducting things like he had done for five years in a red shirt at this ground.
However, much of it involved pulling his players this way and that to maintain a defensive organisation which did its job in keeping their hosts – scorers of 32 goals in their last 12 European games at Anfield – at bay for an hour.
Only with the match won did the Kop chant the name of their beloved former player in the 90th minute – but not before celebrating Slot and his remarkable start to his maiden campaign which has brought 14 wins, one draw and one defeat in 16 games.
For such a highly-anticipated game the only fireworks came from the streets surrounding Anfield but when they subsided just after 9pm things began to liven up on the pitch.
Curtis Jones lifted over a shot from the crowded edge of the penalty area while Mohamed Salah snatched at an effort with his right foot and skewed wide.
But the match was decided within the space of three clinical minutes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold drilled a pass into the feet of Jones and he slid in the perfect through-ball to pick out Diaz who confidently lifted a shot over the onrushing goalkeeper.
Diaz then teed up Salah to cross to the far post for Gakpo to head home and although his goal was flagged offside, VAR overturned that decision and Anfield reverberated to the tune of Ring of Fire, synonymous with the 2005 Champions League triumph of which Alonso had been a pivotal part.
Victor Boniface had a chance to make things interesting but headed wide from six yards and Leverkusen were made to pay when Diaz brought down Salah’s cross to poke home the third eight minutes from time.
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher stuck out a leg to deny Florian Wirtz and keep a clean sheet late on before Diaz stabbed home a rebound as Liverpool won their opening four European matches for only the sixth time in their history.
The first half was a tactical battle with Liverpool dominating possession and Leverkusen trying to find the chinks in their armour to break out.
It resulted in a game low on excitement and chances with Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick deflected over, and Salah and Gakpo barely testing Lukas Hradecky with weak shots close to either post.
Jeremie Frimpong, whose earlier penalty claim against Virgil van Dijk was turned down, fired past Kelleher just before the break after bundling past Kostas Tsimikas but the assistant referee flagged for a handball and VAR agreed.
Brilliant reaction from united. Delighted for bruno.
@Brian Dunne: best player on the pitch tonight, when he cuts out the antics and plays like that it’s great to see and he shows he’s class. That was the reaction needed after Sunday.. De gea distribution worrying again though.
@Brian Dunne: Shocked at the Virgin Media panel’s scathing review of Wout Weghorst. Sure, he won’t be United’s starting 9 going into next season, but a player like that is invaluable. He was a workhorse at Wolfsburg and he’s giving it his all here too it seems. He’s a man who will play for the badge. People seem to forget that if you’re chasing a game in seasons to come, the option to throw on a difficult 6’5 centre forward is a blessing. Would not be surprised if he scores one or two important goals going forward if he sticks around.
@Pauly Kel: yeah not sure de gea is ever going to get better at that at this stage.
@Ultan Corcoran: agree Ultan. The lad has worked his socks off in every game and contributes plenty in general play. Anyone who likes football was surely happy he got a goal tonight. But the first thing virgin talk about after the game? How the lad isn’t good enough!
@Ultan Corcoran:agree, thought it came across as very arrogant and nearly sneering of the chap. I’m sure he’s living and enjoying the dream playing for utd, he has been putting in some serious work on the pitch a team player no doubt
@Ultan Corcoran: he might be looks like our transfer window will be suspended with this take over
@Ultan Corcoran: I must say he seems to be very well liked in the squad as they all seemed delighted he scored. Will he be a Kane and score 20+ gold a season. But saw it tonight when they were 3-1 up. Took off Rashford and left Wong on and he never stopped running and harassing. Stopped watch virgin ages ago. Between the pundits and commentators there all terrible.
@Pauly Kel: he’s great against lesser opposition.
@Michael Anthony: you say he goes missing in the big games so?
@Pauly Kel: What part of Manchester are you from?
@Ultan Corcoran: agree. It took forever for John Aldridge to score his first goal for Ireland back in the day. Didn’t make him a bad player. Weghorst will get his share in time.
@Brian Dunne: always plays well against bad teams. Just shows his character really.
Bruno answers his critics with a Man of the Match performance! Delighted for Weghorst too for his goal… Sancho continues to frustrate! Overall an excellent performance after Sunday!
@G Bot: anything was better than sunday
@James Rowan: I agree!!!
@G Bot: Bruno didn’t answer anything. The epitome of a fair weather player. When everything goes well he excels, but runs away when the going gets tough. One game doesn’t absolve years of evidence to the contrary. Mini Ronaldo.
@Trevor Wallace: utter nonsense.
@Trevor Wallace: Really? He effectively carried United on his back single handed for 2 seasons. I’m not sure what evidence your talking about but as a fan I watch him week in week out and his quality and his character is clear…maybe some petulance is a mark against him but otherwise I think your talking out of your proverbial
@Trevor Wallace: they’ve beaten city, liverpool, arsenal, spurs, and barcelona this season with him playing a large part in all those victories but just make stuff up their trev.
@Brian Dunne: How so? I have no skin at all in this. Bruno was a disgrace on Sunday and not for the first time either. I believe Brian Kerr said similar tonight.
While obviously a super talented player when the chips are down has Bruno shown he’s going to dig in for the team? As a non EPL team supporter watching ManU over the seasons, I’m not sure how you can argue against this.
So again, one game doesn’t maketh a player.
@G Bot: Hang on hang on! I’m not dissing him as a player. He is super talented but I question his mentality when the chips are down. I think that’s fair no? I do agree he was awesome in his first season for you. Not sure for 2 seasons….but I’m sure you can correct me.
@Trevor Wallace: 1 game? He has nearly 60 goals and over 50 assists for utd in 150 games for a cm that’s excellent stats, I wouldn’t be too happy with he’s antics when the chips are down he could clean up on that. But he has been a excellent signing for utd..
@Trevor Wallace: I think you’re backtracking a bit there Trevor… Tonight was a tough game despite the scoreline. A flakier team (or United a few years ago) would’ve struggled after Sunday especially after the equaliser. Fernandes was a decisive part in the victory. You might have a point to certain extent to question his character when the chips are down but I think you were dissing him quite a bit in your first comment
@A$AP ETH: Sigh! That is not what I am saying at all. Read my comment again. How any ManU supporters could support some Bruno performances is beyond me. Would I like him playing for my team? (I’m not faceless check my twitter) hell yes every day of the week!! Is Bruno a team player when you’re up against it? Not currently on evidence but maybe he will be.
@Trevor Wallace: like when the chips were down when they went 1 down to barca and won, 1 down to city and won, conceded an equaliser against arsenal earlier in the season and were under the cosh for half an hour and won 3-1? He had a mare last week, the whole team did, yet you are zeroing in on him because he got the lions share of the flak for ‘petulance’ by neville and keane, who as great as they were, also spent the lions share of their career roaring at their team mates. When did people become so sanctimonious that visibly being pissed off when things are going badly is something to be criticised?
@Trevor Wallace: mini Ronaldo? You can say what you like about Ronaldos final weeks at United but nobody can take away what that man achieved, the amount of games he got by the stuff of the neck and the amount of important goals he scored.
@A$AP ETH: Yes, beat liverpool 2-1 at old Trafford with 29% possession and played like a bottom half team on the break. I suppose a stopped clock is right twice a day.
@Denis Ryan: coming off their worst premier league season ever just after receiving a hammering from brentford, and playing one of the top two teams in the league? Well i suppose if they played swashbuckling stuff and lost or drew i could be on here delighted they got them getting 47% possession. Goals on the board is the only stat that matters. Whats the excuse for the actual teams in the bottom half they’ve lost to this year?
@A$AP ETH: same excuse that ye are beginning to use, tired from playing twice a week last year and not investing in our midfield. Won 50 out of 63 games last season without ever playing non possession based football. Remember ye have lost 6 league games this season and we have lost seven. As the games pile up for ye this season, ye will drop points. Besides a miracle in Madrid we have 13 games left this season over three months, plenty of rest and to plan and we are usually better in the second half of the league season.
Sum decent perfomances sum still poor. Antony flatters to deceive. De Gea was shakey all night wit the ball. Thought lads off bench did well wit exception of sancho who was poor…again. Should have bagged another couple of goals.
Good win. Could have scored more. Still a lot to improve on. Think when utd are playing a more attacking team AWB should be playing. Anthony (despite scoring) and Sancho again frustrate
They didn’t beat them 7-0 though!
@Jonathan Nolan: Liverpools next week, can’t wait for Drubbing No.2!
We recovered well, bitter much!??
@Damien O’ Sullivan: in the second tier of European football ffs. Bitter ? Just never forget 7-0
@Johnny Honest: would now be an awkward time to point out that Liverpool are currently qualifying for that second tier of European football in 23/24
@Johnny Honest: We have already.
And we’re moving on to the other competitions we’re still in.
After Tuesday’s mauling the big chase for 4th is all you lot will have.
Exciting…..not.
@Johnny Honest: and you remember 7 is the number of points United are ahead of Liverpool this season
@Johnny Honest: and you remember 7 is the number of points United are ahead of Liverpool this season
Andy townsend voice: Better! An entertaining game. Pleased for Wout, some class run by pellestri in the build up. Unreal finish by anthony as well, shame he didn’t square it for that chance he had at the end. Liked the school font on the numbers for the betis jerseys. Onto the saints on sunday!
Good performance from Utd tonight, should be favourites to win this competition now.
Not sure that Ten Haag won’t cash in on Bruno in the summer.
@Bert Carolan: maybe, but Roma and Sevilla might think the same, they are playing well in this tournament too.
@Andrew Giles: And Arsenal.
@Fionn O’ Neill: I think the league is the bigger prize for Arsenal, Europa League would just be a welcome bonus, who would be a manager trying to juggle selection, avoid injuries in pursuit of multiple trophies, like Klopp last season, and Arteta and Ten Haag this season, both eyeing 2 trophies, 2 more in Utds case, the league, in my opinion us beyond Utd now.
It’s not Uniteds ability to win matches that concerns me. It’s their mental weakness when things go wrong. Seeing that change would be a positive for me.
Bruno will always turn up…. On Thursday nights.
@Colin Mac: he does it some Saturdays too against the teams battling relegation.
@Johnny Honest: its hilarious how bruno triggers fans of other teams!