SM
Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa: 4 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
LL
Champions League | League Stage
Nov 5, 2024 at 8pm UK
Anfield
LL

Liverpool
4 - 0
B. Leverkusen

Diaz (61', 83', 90+2'), Gakpo (63')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Garcia (26'), Hradecky (60')

Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: Arne Slot ends Xabi Alonso doubts as dream start continues with "significant" win

:Headline: Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: Arne Slot ends Xabi Alonso doubts as dream start continues with 'significant' win:
Liverpool expert David Lynch tells Sports Mole that Tuesday's 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen should end any doubts about Arne Slot after missing out on Xabi Alonso.
Sports Mole

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has ended any lingering doubts about the club's failure to bring in Xabi Alonso as Jurgen Klopp's replacement with his side's 4-0 drubbing of the German champions at Anfield on Tuesday night, according to Liverpool expert David Lynch.

The Reds ran riot at Anfield in the second half, scoring all four goals in the final 30 minutes to condemn the German club to their first away defeat in any competition since they lost 3-0 against VfL Bochum on May 27, 2023.

Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones were particular standouts on the night, with Diaz netting a hat-trick, Salah registering two assists and Jones unlocking Die Schwarzroten's defence for the Reds' opening goal.

The result means that Liverpool are first in the Champions League table with 12 points from four games with another four matches remaining in the league phase, but perhaps more significantly it puts the club on the verge of finishing in the top eight and qualifying automatically for the round of 16.

It was thought that 15 to 16 points would be enough to qualify automatically for the next stage of the competition, a tally Liverpool could now be just one match away from reaching.

After Tuesday's victory against Leverkusen, Lynch believes that the Reds are almost certain to progress in the competition, telling Sports Mole: "What's being said is 15, 16 points will guarantee you top eight - they're not far away from that at all with a lot of games in hand. They've put themselves in a really commanding position, and with some good wins as well.

"They'll be looking forward to that Real Madrid game thinking they can essentially put themselves through in the top eight if they win that. And also there's other reasons to look forward to that because it's an absolutely blockbuster fixture. But they've made a really, really good start."

Dominant victory against Leverkusen

The first half against the German champions was admittedly a somewhat dull affair, with neither side creating much in the final third.

However, the Reds struck four times in the last 30 minutes of the match and ended the game having produced more than four times Leverkusen's 0.8 xG, a remarkable feat considering the Bundesliga team lost just once in 2023-24.

"They're not very easy to beat. They had a really good European record last season. I know it was in the Europa League, but still, Xabi Alonso showed that he can manage in Europe and he knows what he's doing there," Lynch told Sports Mole.

"You think of some of the quality players they've got and they're just set up very, very well by a manager who, again, tactical tweaks during games, knowing about set-ups, having a good plan.

"[Liverpool] have put themselves in a really commanding position, and with some good wins as well.

"AC Milan away, that really could have been tricky, I thought Bologna gave them a great test, and also Leipzig - that was your tier one opponent away from home - that was really tricky, and Liverpool made light work of that one in the end, even though it ended close in scoreline, they battered them really. [Liverpool's European form] just looks really, really convincing."

"Significant" win for Slot

Tuesday's match was also significant for Slot given he won the tactical battle against former Red Alonso, who was linked with the Liverpool job after legendary boss Jurgen Klopp announced his intention to leave the club last term.

Some fans were disappointed that Liverpool were unable to convince the Spaniard to swap Germany for Merseyside, but Slot's record-breaking start at Anfield has silenced most of the doubt that might have been held about the Dutchman.

"It feels significant for Arne Slot as well," Lynch added.

"If there's any Liverpool supporters out there who still doubt that they got the right man this summer in Arne Slot, and maybe some thought, 'I wish we had got Alonso', then getting a win over him feels like something important in terms of putting that narrative to bed a little bit.

"He showed he can operate in European competition, and I think he's already showing that with Liverpool - he's taken to it like a duck to water. And some of the more tactical elements of it, we know he's all over that, so he's doing really, really well."

Liverpool are set to take on Aston Villa at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday evening, and will look to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

body check tags ::

amp_article__557465 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-11-06 14:50:50:
html db last update - 2024-11-06 14:50:50 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Xabi Alonso

Click here for more stories about Liverpool

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
The new special one? Slot eclipses Mourinho as Liverpool thump Leverkusen
Will he stay? Van Nistelrooy addresses Man United future ahead of Amorim arrival
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Double injury boost: When will Yoro, Malacia be available for Man United?

1

DI

Wednesday's Champions League predictions including Inter vs. Arsenal

2

WC

How many changes has Emery made to Villa XI for Club Brugge clash?

NEW

3

HM

"This is the only reason why": Maresca comments on lack of Felix game time

4

&I

Ready for Arsenal? Maresca gives update on Palmer knee injury

5

RF

Amorim connection: Man United must move for Sporting wonderkid in 2025

6

AC

The new special one? Slot eclipses Mourinho as Liverpool thump Leverkusen

7

TN

Four missing again? Liverpool injury, suspension list for Aston Villa clash

8

FM

Any boosts for Guardiola?: Man City injury list for Brighton clash

9

AB

Preview: Galatasaray vs. Spurs - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PG


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .