Liverpool demolish Leverkusen with hat-trick for Diaz in Champions League

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Liverpool were on fire on bonfire night as they scorched German Champions Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 at Anfield to make it four wins out of four in the Champions League group stage

Before the match fireworks lit up the Liverpool sky outside the stadium and with 5,000 of the 61,000 strong crowd travelling over from Germany this was set to be an incredible atmosphere.

However the first half was a cagey affair with the returning hero Alonso organising his Bayer Leverkusen team to keep everything tight. Liverpool were finding it hard to break the German side down. Jones tested out Leverkusen’s defence, coming in from the left but the keeper was out quickly to block his shot.

However like in so many of these European nights Anfield came alive in the second half. The press from the Liverpool players became more intense and the passing became quicker and crisper. Curtis Jones played the ball through to Luis Diaz in the 61st minute and in the blink of an eye he scooped the ball over the outrushing keeper into the net.

Just a couple of minutes later Liverpool doubled their lead. Mo Salah swept over the ball to the far post for Gakpo to fling himself at it and head into the German net. Celebrations were only temporarily halted before a VAR check confirmed the goal was onside to make it 2-0 to the home side.

The atmosphere was on fire in the stadium. Alonso knew what was coming and there was nothing he could do to help his players. It is the Anfield factor. Diaz got his second with a crisp passing move before the ball was crossed into him and with one touch to control it he then banged it into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

The Colombian completed his hat-trick in the dying moments of stoppage time after Nunez’s shot was initially blocked to end the match at 4-0 and keep Liverpool’s 100% record in the Champions League going. It will be interesting to see if they can make it 5 out of 5 in their next match against holders Real Madrid.