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Xabi Alonso highlights two Liverpool stars who made the difference in Leverkusen win
Xabi Alonso highlighted the depth and the flexibility of Liverpool’s squad prior to Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield.
And as the legendary former midfielder found himself on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing, Alonso’s pre-match comments looked all the more prothetic.
As Liverpool slammed in four goals between the 61st and 92nd minutes, Arne Slot’s side staked their claim to be the most complete squad in European football at present.
Kostas Tsimikas excelled again in the absence of Andy Robertson at left-back. Curtis Jones maintained his superb recent form with Dominik Szoboszlai on the bench. Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher was labelled the best number two in world football by former Reds defender Stephen Warnock and a couple of fine saves from the Irishman once enhanced that argument.
And, starting as a centre-forward for the first time under Slot, the ‘sensational’ Luis Diaz plundered a maiden Liverpool hat-trick in front of a jubilant Kop.
Xabi Alonso highlights Luis Diaz role as Liverpool hammer Leverkusen
Making his return to Anfield for the first time as a manager, Xabi Alonso always had a feeling that Slot might shuffle his XI. Liverpool are aiming to balance domestic and European action, after all, and will need to utilise their squad to the best of their ability.
And Leverkusen’s second-half collapse, he adds, was less to do with Liverpool’s changes and more to do with the ruthlessness of their finishing with Diaz scoring three times in 31 minutes.
“We were ready [prepared] that Liverpool might change something,” Alonso tells reporters post-match. “Because of the situation with nine points, with the Premier League, being in a good position and that demanding [schedule].
“I didn’t know if Gakpo was going to be up front with Luis on the left. It was [also a case of] Tsimikas or Robertson, Curtis Jones or Szoboszlai.
“So no big surprise [to see Slot shift around his XI], because they can do that. The goals were not because we were not prepared, but because of the quality that they have.”
Caoimhin Keller impresses as Arne Slot lauds hat-trick hero Diaz
Alonso was left wondering how things might have turned out had his Leverkusen side taken one of the chances they created when the game was still relatively in the balance.
Kelleher, starting again in place of the injured Alisson Becker, denied star striker Victor Boniface amid a series of impressive stops.
“We were going full gas to try and change the mindset,” adds the former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder. “We had some chances with Boni, a few other chances where Kelleher made good saves.
“Maybe, at 2-1, something changes.”
Slot, meanwhile, would open up on his decision to field Diaz in the number nine role ahead of Darwin Nunez and the in-form Gakpo.
“I only have four attackers available at the moment with the injuries of Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa, and Darwin didn’t play that much in the beginning,” Slot tells reporters. “With this fixture list, it’s almost impossible to play them all, especially if you haven’t played that many games before.
“So, that [is why I picked Diaz]. In combination with the fact that I think [Jonathan] Tah – who is a real good defender and is one of the best defenders in Germany, maybe the best defender in Germany – maybe likes to play more against a target
If we have our injuries like we have at the moment then [Diaz could play as a striker more often], yeah. But that also depends on who is available and how the other team lines up, what the formation is.”