Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen - Champions League RECAP: Reds maintain 100% European record as they score three second-half goals

What a night for Liverpool, eh?

I feel like I say that short sentence with each passing week, but it's because it's entirely true. They are on fire.

Well, they weren't in the first half tonight as Bayer Leverkusen took control of the match under the lights at Anfield.

But soon enough, Xabi Alonso remembered what the Liverpool crowd can do on special European nights.

Four second-half goals, including a Luis Diaz hat-trick, means that Liverpool leapfrogged Aston Villa and head top of the Champions League 36-team table.

The Reds are yet to even drop a point in the competition under Arne Slot, it's pretty bonkers.

Anyway, I better say goodnight to you all. It's been a pleasure guiding you through another brilliant night of action.

I will catch you on the flip side.

The time has nearly come for me to say goodnight to you all. Sad, I know.

But before I wave goodbye, I thought I would share the match story from the hammering Liverpool gave Bayer Leverkusen.

Mail Sport's Lewis Steele was at Anfield to witness an electrifying performance and see Xabi Alonso return to Merseyside.

And well, he compared a certain current Reds star to the Spaniard who won this very competition with them in 2005.

Read more:

Luis Diaz has joined an allusive club this evening.

With his hat-trick he becomes only the seventh Liverpool player to net three goals in one Champions League match since the competition's rebrand.

I'm telling you now, there are some absolute ballers on the list he has joined - some real legends of the club and the game.

Don't believe me? Well, here is the list in full:

• Michael Owen
• Yossi Benayoun
• Philippe Coutinho
• Sadio Mane
• Diogo Jota
• Mohamed Salah
• Luis Diaz

When Mo Salah doesn't score, he provides assists instead.

He provided two tonight and the first one for Cody Gakpo was particularly sublime.

Those two mean that Salah has provided four assists in the Champions League this season – more than any other player.

It’s also his joint-highest number of assists in a single Champions League campaign after just four games.

He also managed that feat back in 2017-18 as Liverpool made it all the way to the Champions League final.

You wouldn't bet against them doing the same this year, would you?

Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen boss, speaking to Amazon Prime:

First half we were pretty good, the second half the first 10 minutes they were not very good. We were playing more on more on our side of the pitch, our intensity got lower, were were not squeezing that much and that's how the first goal game.

The result is more painful than the performance but this is the Champions League, it's the highest level. It can happen, you can come to Anfield and lose. 4-0 is not nice, Liverpool in big spaces on the counter are a big big team. It's a pity we could not have 1-0 for a little bit longer. They did it against Brighton and they did it against us.

Before that we spoke at half-time that we were doing things right, we still had a lot to do, and it changed in the second half. We were ready to have a good performance, give our best. For some part, we did OK, but it changed completely after those few minutes.

In this competition, you need to be decisive in the boxes, and that is what we lacked. Defeat, accept it, congratulate Liverpool, and move on.

On his return to Liverpool:

I will try to separate the game, the pain from the result, from the nice feeling to come back and have that reception. I am really happy and thankful for that reception.

Full-time scores in the Champions League:

• PSV 4-0 Girona
• Slovan Bratislava 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb
• Bologna 0-01Monaco
• Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig
• Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Sturm Graz
• Lille 1-1 Juventus
• Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan
• Sporting CP 3-1 Manchester City

Luis Diaz will remember this day for the rest of his life.

To score a hat-trick in front of the Kop is not a feat that many Liverpool players manage.

He also managed it on a night where he was asked by his boss to play as a striker, rather than on the wing.

Maybe he should be playing there more often...

I mean, whatever Arne Slot is doing with Diaz behind closed doors is working, the Colombian is on fire.

A special, special night.

Arne Slot, Liverpool head coach, speaking to Amazon Prime:

I'm not sure it was to do with intensity but we did take more risk. We adjusted a bit at half-time and that's why we got the initiative apart form being better on the ball in the first half.

The first half was not that bad either, in terms of the crowd, but they had the ball but were not a goal threat in my opinion.

On Luis Diaz:

A strong striker would fit our style more and you just have to be lucky that Curtis Jones sees a brilliant pass and he finishes it off brilliantly.

No, as a manager you do not look ahead, you look at the next opponent. You don't look three months ahead, just one game at a time. Now it's Aston Villa, a team that does really well in Europe and also in the league.

Just look at what it means to Luis Diaz.

This is what you call the cherry on top of what was a brilliant half for both Diaz and Liverpool.

You know it's your day when the ball falls to you like this with no one around. It was just his day.

A brilliant counter-attacking goal.

Cody Gakpo, Liverpool goalscorer, speaking to Amazon Prime:

4-0, a good result against a very good team. I'm not sure if it's the best one but it's a good one.

They are a very tough opponent, but we kept going and defining well. The goal came and that first goal won us the game.

It was very important to open the game and then after that it was easy to score the second, third, and fourth goal.

This Liverpool side can simply do no wrong, can they?

Top of the Premier League and now top of the Champions League. A near-perfect start for Arne Slot.

Slot equals Jurgen Klopp's record of winning the opening four Champions League matches of the season.

No other Liverpool manager has managed that feat.

That's also a third clean sheet in four European games for Slot's men, they have only conceded once.

Every week, Liverpool somehow look even better.

I did not see that coming at half-time...

Liverpool have taught Bayer Leverkusen a lesson, shipping four past Xabi Alonso's men in the second half.

Luis Diaz's hat-trick and a strike from Cody Gakpo means that the Reds go top of the table.

Not the return Alonso would have wanted.

I wrote on about half an hour ago saying the Luis Diaz No 9 experiment was not working. Now he's scored a hat-trick, great.

Luis Diaz has his hat-trick!

My word, how good are Liverpool? They are hammering a Bayer Leverkusen side who have not lost away from home in 18 months.

The Red arrows break away and Drawin Nunez drives into the area and sees his shot blocked.

The ball then falls kindly for Diaz and he makes no mistake to score his first hat-trick for Liverpool.

What a night for the Colombian.

Xabi Alonso's name rings out around Anfield for the first time, but not before they have given a rendition of 'Arne Slot na na na na na'.

I am about to echo my statement at the start of the last post, sorry for the repetition.

But once again Caoimhin Kelleher is there to deny Bayer Leverkusen, this time getting low to deny a drive from Robert Andrich.

There's a reason they call him the 'best number two in the world'.

Caoimhin Kelleher really wants this clean sheet, my word.

The Irishman makes a brilliant stop to deny Patrik Schick but Florian Wirtz then looks to fire in the rebound.

But the goalkeeper does brilliantly to set himself again and save the strike with his feet.

Superb keeping.

Luis Diaz at the double!

The Colombian winger wheels away in celebration for the second time in this second half to surely send Liverpool top.

He manages to shrug off his marker and take down Mo Salah's cross before finding the far corner.

Game over.

Cody Gakpo's evening is at its end and once again he leaves the pitch as a goalscorer.

Darwin Nunez replaces the Dutchman as one of three substitutions made by Arne Slot.

Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson also come on to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas.

Alexander-Arnold certainly takes his time...

Patrik Schick and Nathan Tella also enter the action for Bayer Leverkusen.

Wow, we have some shocks across Europe...

AC Milan have now gone 3-1 up at the home of the champions with Tijani Reijnders netting the goal.

Real Madrid are just all over the place at the moment.

Meanwhile, Celtic have netted their third against RB Leipzig with Reo Hatate sending Celtic Park bananas.

Not scorelines I expected to see this evening.

It's just not been Bayer Leverkusen's night, has it?

Jonas Hofmann's first real contribution is to fire a strike miles wide and there are ironic cheers from Anfield.

That's certainly not an effort that will get you back in the game.

We have our first substitutions of the night.

Xabi Alonso has turned to Robert Andrich and Jonas Hofmann as his side looks to get back into this game.

Meanwhile, Curtis Jones is replaced by Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool and he gets a standing ovation.

Liverpool really are turning on the heat now.

They are hungry for more goals and this time it's Alexis Mac Allister who goes in search of the net.

He bends a lovely strike toward the bottom corner but Lukas Hradecky plans it away at full stretch.

A fine stop.

Oh, Victor Boniface...

Bayer Leverkusen should have a goal back already but their striker misses a sitter.

He is free inside the area as the ball comes his way and should score, but he pants his header wide.

Boniface can't believe it, and neither can I!

Liverpool suddenly look like a completely different team, this is crazy.

That one Mo Salah chance changed this game. It got the crowd up and the players reacted to it.

In a flash, Liverpool have gone two up and surely that's game over at Anfield.

It's been given!

VAR takes a decent look at the goal and Anfield is soon cheering once more as it gives the goal.

Cody Gakpo was indeed onside and now he gets his chance to celebrate.

Two goals in two minutes.

Oh hello...

Cody Gakpo looks like he is just onside here and VAR is going to take a look.

I have a feeling this one could be given.

What a goal that is... but wait, the flag is up.

Liverpool have suddenly woken up and they think they have a second in a matter of minutes.

the ball is whipped to the back post after a lovely move and Cody Gakpo hammers a header into the net.

Anfield erupts, but soon enough they realise it's been ruled out.

Well we said Luis Diaz needed to impact the game more and there it is. Beautiful assist from Curtis Jones, beautiful dinked finish from the Colombian.

RIGHT ON CUE!

This gaming has been screaming for a bit of quality and my word has Luis Diaz just delivered it.

Diaz gets on the end of a lovely Curtis Jones pass inside the are and delicately chips Lukas Hradecky.

Arne Slot's two changes working a treat there.

That chance has really woken up this Liverpool crowd, they are trying to get their players going.

'Allez, Allez, Allez' is ringing around the four stands and it's really noisy now.

Will it work like it did on Saturday?

Biggest chance of the game there for Liverpool as Ryan Gravenberch does what he does best and turns a nothing situation into a big chance. The Dutchman takes the ball on the half-turn, shimmies away from two challenges and feeds Mo Salah. But the Egyptian gets it all wrong and miskicks his shot. Better, though...

Ok, Mo Salah tries to make me eat my words straight away.

Ryan Gravenberch slides the ball out to him in acres of space and you just think he will find the back of the net.

But rather than using his trusted left, Salah uses his right and slices it miles wide.

Not his best effort.

Even the fireworks aren't here to entertain us anymore, I wouldn't be surprised if some fans inside the ground were sleeping.

Somehow this game has managed to get worse.

I really did not think that was possible based on the first 45 minutes.

Curtis Jones looks as though he is trying to make things happen.

The midfielder gets the ball inside a packed box in front of the box and just decides to hit it.

I understand why, as nothing else was on, but he blazes the ball miles over.

Still, it's better.

Arne Slot made two subs that won the game against Brighton on Saturday - Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz. The pair were rewarded with starts tonight and Jones is certainly taking his chance.

He has been a livewire in Liverpool's midfield and causing all sorts of problems for Leverkusen. Diaz, on the other hand, is starting in an unusual role of the No 9 and has not impacted the game enough yet.

Oh dear...

We have our first groans of the second half inside two minutes as Curtis Jones passes the ball out of play.

It seems whatever was said at the break has not worked as of yet. There is still time for that to change.

Right, the teams are back out now.

Rather surprisingly, neither side have made a change at the break. I thought there may be a couple.

Let's just hope the team talks that were made will spring these 22 lads into life.

Half-time scores in the Champions League:

• PSV 4-0 Girona (full-time)
• Slovan Bratislava 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb (full-time)
• Bologna 0-0 Monaco
• Celtic 2-1 RB Leipzig
• Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Sturm Graz
• Lille 1-0 Juventus
• Real Madrid 1-2 AC Milan
• Sporting CP 1-1 Manchester City

This is the problem with the new Champions League format. The amount of matches reduces the jeopardy tenfold. I suspect both teams would happily shake hands on a 0-0 right now.

Frank Lampard, Champions League winner with Chelsea, on Amazon Prime:

Tactically cancelling each other out, two good coaches. The off-the-ball work from both teams have been good. The games got to be speeded up from Liverpool's point, they have to play quicker.

Ahhhh, this was the moment the game could have got interesting.

After a first half of cat and mouse, Jeremie Frimpong looked to have put Bayer Leverkusen into the lead.

But it didn't take us long to all realise it had been ruled out for handball.

That goal would have opened up this match, but for now, it may stay cagey.

There goes the whistle.

A half of little chances finally comes to an end right as the two teams start to gain some rhythm.

I'm hopping they carry that momentum into the second half and we get some more action.

So far, it's not been great.

We finally do have a proper game now.

It's now Cody Gakpo's turn to have a crack as he is slid in on down the left of the Bayer Leverkusen box.

He takes his time and can pick out either corner, but the winner smashes the ball straight at Lukas Hradecky.

It seems to have winded the goalkeeper.

There will be just two minutes of stoppage time.

It's a shame as the game seems to have finally kicked into gear just before the break.

Oh, I thought we finally had our moment for a second.

Jeremie Frimpong wheels away in celebration as he thinks he's opened the scoring, but his joy is short-lived.

The Dutchman breaks away from Kostas Tsimikas brilliantly and fires past Caoimhin Kelleher expertly.

But the ball hit his hand in the build-up...

That's much, much better from Liverpool.

The ball is switched to Mo Salah on the right, he drives into the box, and you just know what comes next.

He hammers the ball low at goal but Luka Hradecky has no problems keeping it out.

So, what's everyone had for tea?

I'm pretty sure I will find all of your answers more interesting than the football on display.

Pretty much diddly squat is happening. At least the fireworks are still keeping us entertained.

Kostas Tsimikas just made a clearance with no shoes as his boot fell off. And that's the most exciting part of this match so far. Friendly vibes to it.

Mo Salah rarely stands aside for any man but on this occasion he was the decoy as he let Trent Alexander-Arnold take a free-kick just outside the Leverkusen box. It wasn’t a bad effort from the England man but the wall did its job and it flicked over for a corner

The quality in this match really is lacking, I must say. It's somehow worse than the game between Man United and Chelsea at the weekend.

Alejandro Grimaldo has just had a crack from miles out and it's fone way into the Kop.

That effort sums up this game really.

Well, that was underwhelming...

Trent Alexander-Arnold strikes the ball well but the wall does its job and heads the ball over for a corner.

At least Anfield is bouncing again.

Oh dear, Granit Xhaka...

The former Arsenal man gives away free-kick just outside the penalty area.

This is in Trent Alexander-Arnold territory...

The foul seems to have woken up the Kop who are suddenly very excited about this opportunity.

With both teams unbeaten in the new-format Champions League group – Liverpool with a 100 per cent record – there is no real need or urgency to go gung-ho. Hence we’re seeing respect from either team which is nice in one sense but not making for a thriller, yet.

I mean, was it ever in doubt?

Of course, Real Madrid have found an equaliser against AC Milan and it's from the boot of Vinicius Jnr.

The winger won a penalty and then proceeded to produce a cheeky panenka to score it.

Game on in Madrid.

Somewhat of a sparring match so far between these two heavyweights, with a severe lack of goalmouth action. Xabi Alonso will be the happier of the two managers so far, though, as his team seem to have settled and look calm amid the famed Anfield atmosphere. They are passing it about well but neither keeper has been tested properly yet.

There was also an interesting moment not long ago as Arne Slot clenched his fist and looked severely frustrated - for a usually calm man, that is worth noting. It was aimed at Trent Alexander-Arnold, who sent a long ball towards Salah that eventually lost possession. Slot wants patience.

That's a little better from Liverpool.

Luis Diaz switches play brilliantly for Mo Salah on the right who hits a lovely trivela cross into the middle.

The ball then pops up for Alexis Mac Allister to hit, but his volley is blocked well.

It brings a little roar from the crowd.

The groans are starting to come from the Anfield crowd.

You know what that means, Liverpool are not playing very well. It's completely fair because they aren't.

The slow starters under Arne Slot are at it again.

Bayer Leverkusen are starting to get into their groove now.

Florian Wirtz is making them tick and he spots Victor Boniface making a run in behind.

The midfielder finds him but Trent Alexander-Arniold sticks to him like glue and the striker runs the ball out of play.

He then smashes into the advertising hoardings and looks in real pain.

I mean, that would hurt, wouldn't it?

Ooooooh...

Jeremie Frimpong is screaming for a penalty after going down in the box under the pressure of Virgil van Dijk.

The referee shakes his head and waves play on

I mean, Van Dijk does get a touch on him but it would be very harsh if VAR gets involved in this one.

I doubt it will.

Bayer Leverkusen have had a shot, I repeat, Bayer Leverkusen have had a shot.

I mean, it's a pretty pants one as Edmond Tapsoba drills the ball harmlessly into the arms of Caoimhin Kelleher from miles out.

At least it's an effort on target, I guess.

Well, this wasn't in the script...

The Bernanbeu has just been silenced as Malick Thiaw has opened the scoring for AC Milan.

The defender rose highest to meet Christian Pulisic's corner to head high into the net. The defending was awful.

Madrid will have to come from behind again...

The fireworks are still going...

At this rate, we will likely hear them all night - I'm not complaining. They are making the sky look beautiful.

It's a lot more attractive than the football on display at the moment as not much is really happening.

I must admit, Bayer Leverkusen are keeping the ball really well at the moment.

It seems like Liverpool have their sights set on counter-attacking as things stand, which is not a usual thing at Anfield.

It's been like a game of chess.

This Liverpool front three look like they are up for this one.

The Reds suddenly launch a ferocious attack after winning the ball high up the pitch, and the red arrows are away.

Luis Diaz works the ball over to Cody Gakpo on the left but his eventual effort is blocked en route to goal.

A positive first attack.

The amount of fireworks going off around Anfield is quite something, they are being let off every second.

Sadly, this match has not had the same effect as of yet, but it's early days.

Liverpool are having their fair share of possession thus far.

My word, the Bayer Leverkusen fans are blooming loud.

They are really going for it in that corner, and the Liverpool fans try to respond with a chant of themselves.

The atmosphere is the most interesting thing so far. It's incredible.

The time for talking is over!

The game gets underway to an almighty roar from the Anfield crowd - who are well up for this.

Fingers crossed this is a belter.

A rocking atmosphere here at Anfield but Xabi Alonso has awkwardly timed his arrival with boos from the home crowd towards the Champions League anthem, which is in response to UEFA’s poor stewarding of the 2022 final. Alonso offers a small wave to the home crowd and we are nearly under way. Fireworks are popping across the night’s sky and this should be a cracker…

Anfield is at its very best tonight.

The reception for Xabi Alonso isn't the best as he comes out when the fans are booing the Champions League anthem.

Shortly after they applaud him when he heads over to the dugout after saying hello to Arne Slot.

I hope he doesn't think the boos are for him, but you never know.

It looks like Xabi Alonso looks happy to be back at Anfield.

The photos of the Bayer Leverkusen boss are now flooding in and in nearly every single one he is smiling.

Will he be happy in just over two hours?

We're nearly there, guys.

The players have gone through the motions of their warm-ups and now they are going in for their final team-talks.

The atmosphere inside Anfield is really beginning to buzz now as all the fans make their way in from the pubs around the area.

It's set to be a belter.

We finally have footage of Xabi Alonso at Anfield.

I have been looking for this for ages - photos and everything. Now we have it.

Alonso is back at his old home, it's some sight.

Answering the question given by Amazon, I would say the miracle of Istanbul. But what do you think?

Stephen Warnock, former Liverpool defender, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live:

We know Curtis Jones is a very good player but the inconsistencies of his game are the issue.

He was fantastic against Chelsea, he then continues [in the side] in the next game against Arsenal and didn't hit the heights we expect of him. He has to be more consistent in order to play every week for Liverpool.

I can't talk about Liverpool without praising Ryan Gravenberch.

I know I'm a bit of a broken record at this point, but the Dutchman has been mercurial this season.

Not just in the Premier League, but in Europe too.

Gravenberch has recovered possession 26 times in the Champions League this season, more than any other midfielder

He’s also the midfielder with the most interceptions so far with 10.

It wouldn't be Guy Fawkes Night without some fireworks, eh?

I always love going to a random field, or a friend's house, wrapping myself up and watching the fireworks go into the sky and saying 'wowwww'.

It's just tradition, isn't it?

Well, plenty of Liverpudlians have been enjoying them near Anfield this evening as the supporters make their way toward the ground.

Let's hope there are some fireworks on the pitch too.

Arne Slot, Liverpool head coach, speaking to Amazon Prime:

I hope my players are ready for it, I am ready for it. We prepared them in the best possible way but almost any time we play someone, they change a bit.

If I look at the [Leverkusen] line-up, they always play with two attackers, but it appears they play with three midfielders and maybe Wirtz is an attacker or a midfielder as well.

That maybe changes things for us for what are plans were but that's modern football and playing at the highest level - you face managers that want to surprise you. We have to be ready for both scenarios.

I'm sure you already know just how brilliant Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz is.

But still, I thought I'd remind you.

The German midfielder has had a brilliant start to life in the Champions League this season.

Just three matches in, Wirtz has already scored three goals, with them all coming in away matches.

Will Liverpool be able to keep him at bay tonight?

Would you look at this!

The Bayer Leverkusen fans have been snapped marching to Anfield in one big group as they get ready to make some noise in that away end.

There is absolutely no doubt that they will be bouncing in that corner, whatever the score may be.

It could be one hell of an atmosphere this evening.

Liverpool fans certainly have fond memories of Xabi Alonso in a red shirt.

The supporters spoken to in this video only had positive things to say about the Spaniard.

I mean, the short clips of him playing prove exactly why.

He was the definition of a 'baller' during his time at the club and for many years after.

A top player who is now a top manager.

The omens are not looking good for Bayer Leverkusen tonight.

The German side have only won one of their 11 away major European matches in England, losing seven of them.

Two of those matches happened to be at Anfield against Liverpool, and they lost both of them.

And that's not the end of it...

To make matters worse for Leverkusen, Liverpool have only lost one of their last 21 European meetings with German opponents.

Guess who that loss was to, though?

Yep, it was of course Leverkusen. It came in 2002, the year they made it all the way to the final.

Xabi Alonso follows the lead of Arne Slot.

The Spaniard makes just two changes to the starting line-up that drew with Stuttgart at the weekend.

Aleix Garcia and Exequiel Palacios both come into the side.

Mo Salah is simply inevitable, isn't he?

The Egyptian King is already having a season to remember, despite all the chatter around his contract situation.

Salah already has nine goals and seven assists in 15 appearances in all competitions this season.

Three of those goal involvements have come in the Champions League - he just loves this competition.

In fact, Salah has scored in each of his last five Anfield appearances in the competition.

The last player to score in six home games on the bounce in the Champions for an English club was Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Can Salah match his feat tonight?

Arne Slot is not messing about tonight.

The Dutchman makes just two changes from the side that beat Brighton at the weekend.

Luis Diaz comes back into the frontline with Cody Gakpo seemingly taking up the striker position.

Meanwhile, Curtis Jones replaces Dominik Szoboszlai in the middle of the park.

Danny Murphy, former Liverpool midfielder, speaking to BoyleSports:

Bayer Leverkusen are a dangerous side, but teams have prepared differently against them this season and their system is now well known, the players are well known.

Teams will prepare better than they did last season and know what Xabi Alonso’s style is like, that makes everything harder for them, as well as the expectation of your own fans rising.

Leverkusen have got some really good technical players that can hurt Liverpool so I don’t think it will be a walk in the park, but I do think that Liverpool will have enough to beat them.

I’m going for 3-1 to Liverpool including a couple of late goals. It’ll be tight to start with because it’s a huge Champions League game but then it could catch fire. Alonso will get a good reception but I think Liverpool.

Oh, I just love these kind of nights, don't you?

Champions League matches under the lights at this time of year just can't be matched.

The days are getting shorter, the temperature is getting colder, and we may even see some fireworks on display.

Not just in the sky...

Liverpool fans, get the tissues ready.

OK, it's not going to be that emotional. However, it will still be a special night for many of those in Anfield tonight.

Mail Sport's Lewis Steele has taken a look back in time at when many thought Xabi Alonso would be Jurgen Klopp's successor.

Instead, they got Arne Slot, and I'm pretty sure there is not a single Reds supporter complaining about it.

Read more here:

Arne Slot, Liverpool head coach, speaking on Monday:

It's a big European tie, which is almost always the situation if you play in the Champions League. It may be because of what Xabi Alonso did for Liverpool, especially in Europe, but maybe more because of how he manages Leverkusen and how strong they are.

Last season they were incredible. This season they are still the same and just as good, but a bit more unlucky when it comes to results.

If you go to a club bottom of the league and with the same players you bring them all the way up - and, without spending that much money in that summer, have a season where they only lost the final of the Europa League - it tells you that he's special.

What it is that makes him special is difficult for me to say because I haven't faced him yet and I haven't worked with him. But he's worked with very good managers in the past and he played at the highest levels, so that all contributes to why he is such a good manager.

Right, now let's talk about who is actually in charge of Liverpool - Arne Slot.

The Dutchman's start to life at the Reds has been nothing short of extraordinary. He has been breaking records left, right, and centre.

Tonight, Slot could equal another one.

Liverpool have won all three of their opening Champions League matches this season, scoring six goals and conceding once.

The Reds have only won their opening four once in the competition's history - under Jurgen Klopp in the 2021-22 campaign.

Liverpool went on to win their opening seven matches that season and reached the final, where they were beaten by Real Madrid.

Slot will be hoping he can go one better than that this season.

Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen boss, speaking on Monday:

For us, it is a big challenge to come here. Liverpool at the moment is one of the best if not the best in Europe, they are showing that in a very strong Premier League and the Champions League. It’s a good squad, a good coach. At Anfield, it’s a big challenge.

It feels great to be back after a few years. It’s always special. You notice the development of the club, the new stands look pretty amazing.

It's a big game against Liverpool in a great moment, it cannot get much better than that. I am not thinking that much [about how he will be received]. I am thinking more about how to prepare for the game.

I might think about my memories when I go for a walk or a run. I know the city, I love it and I still have friends here, but I don’t have time for tourism.

There will be a lot of talk surrounding Xabi Alonso tonight, I hope you realise that.

I mean, he's a Liverpool legend, it would be rude not to.

20 seasons ago, Alonso lifted good old 'big ears' above his head after THAT night in Istanbul.

He scored the third goal in what we all know as one of the greatest finals in the history of the competition.

It was of course also one of the most memorable nights in the Merseyside club's glittering archive.

So, when Jurgen Klopp let the world know he was leaving Liverpool in January, many Liverpool fans wanted Alonso to continue his love affair with the club.

However, he decided to continue his legacy at Bayer Leverkusen after delivering their first Bundesliga title following an invincible campaign.

It turns out Arne Slot coming in instead has been a wise choice...

And while Liverpool are flying at the moment under the Dutchman, there will be a lot of love from the Anfield crowd for Alonso tonight.

He is an icon of the Kop, after all.

It's only right that I show the bottom half after I have shown the top, right?

Teams like AC Milan have not had a very good start to this campaign - they sit in the elimination places.

I will be very much surprised if they are out of them this evening, considering they face Real Madrid away.

How different will this look by the end of the night?

I don't think I am used to this league system in the group stages yet.

Don't get me wrong, there have been many enjoyable matches thus far, but seeing one big table is still strange.

Anyway, it's here to stay, isn't it?

Going into gameweek four, which is the halfway stage, we have a surprise leader in Aston Villa.

However, they are not in action tonight so Liverpool have the chance to go top.

If they lose, though, Bayer Leverkusen will leapfrog above them.

As I have already said, there are some mouth-watering matches on tonight's Champions League billing.

It will of course be spearheaded by Liverpool's clash with Bayer Leverkusen, but I thought you'd all be interested to see what else is on.

Here are tonight's fixtures:

• PSV 0-0 Girona
• Slovan Bratislava 1-1 Dinamo Zagreb
• Bologna vs Monaco, 20:00 GMT
• Celtic vs RB Leipzig, 20:00 GMT
• Borussia Dortmund vs Sturm Graz, 20:00 GMT
• Lille vs Juventuss, 20:00 GMT
• Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen, 20:00 GMT
• Real Madrid vs AC Milan, 20:00 GMT
• Sporting CP vs Manchester City, 20:00 GMT

Oh yes, the Champions League is well and truly back (I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but I love it).

The Kop will see the return of one of its heroes this evening.

They won't be witnessing them on the pitch this time, however, but rather in the opposition dugout.

Liverpool welcome Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen to Merseyside this evening in what is set to be a blockbuster evening.

There was a point last season when many Reds fans expected to see Alonso leading their side, but instead, they are now under the guidance of Arne Slot.

Once again, the atmosphere inside Anfield is set to be electric. It will be interesting to see Alonso's reaction, which I'm sure will be positive.

While Anfield is where most of our attention will be tonight, there are plenty of other tasty ties on the menu.

So, with that in mind, let's tuck in!