
Liverpool obliged to perfection to give their former favourite a harrowing return to Anfield.
The champions of Germany were dissected in a dominant second-half performance by Liverpool who maintained their 100% record in this season's Champions League courtesy of a Luis Diaz hat-trick and a Cody Gakpo header.
Leverkusen were unbeaten themselves before arriving at Anfield. They left chastened, Liverpool soaring to the top of the table with the confidence of a team that has won a remarkable 14 of the first 16 games under Slot.
It is rare to see a manager acclaimed by both sets of supporters but Alonso made for an understandable exception.
The Leverkusen coach received a rapturous reception from Liverpool fans when conducting a TV interview in front of the Main Stand before kick-off, and another from the travelling contingent when continuing his media rounds in their corner of the stadium.
A penny for Alonso's thoughts when stood alongside Frank Lampard at the pundits' podium?
The pair exchanged several blows during their days in the midfields of Liverpool and Chelsea. One resulted in Alonso suffering a broken ankle early in his Anfield career.
"I don't have time for tourism," the former Liverpool midfielder had said on the eve of the contest, making it clear that the mission here was to defeat his former club.
It will have been a relief to Alonso to park the sentiment and get on with the game, which kicked off following a minute's silence for the victims of the floods in Valencia.
But he wouldn't have been the only person left wanting more by a sterile first half.
This story is from the November 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In

Champions Trophy rises once again in dash for cash amid intrigue
India strike an early sour note after tournament favourites' refusal to play in Pakistan gives them a tactical edge

Paris summit Europe's leaders mull radical moves on defence spending
Putting aside the petulant Giorgia Meloni, who drove up in a Maserati an hour late for the Paris summit on Ukraine wearing a white coat and a pose designed to reveal her disdain at being anywhere near Emmanuel Macron, most of those at the Élysée Palace alighted on two ideas - joint defence bonds or a defence escape clause.

'Half my family has cancer' Will Italy finally face up to the deadly blight of illegal waste?
Soon after her son was born, Marzia Caccioppoli moved to Casalnuovo di Napoli, a town surrounded by countryside on the outskirts of Naples, to get away from the chaos and pollution of the sprawling southern Italian city.

From the ashes Artists devastated by California fires unite for new show
When Jeffrey Sugishita visited the burnt husk of the house he had called home, flames were still smoldering inside. For about 30 minutes, Sugishita wandered the wreckage, looking at the empty space where his room had been.

We'll action this Emails reveal truth of Kabul animal airlift
The desperation on the faces of tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan while they attempted to escape as the country came under Taliban rule was broadcast across the world.

'It's a joke' People who rely on post claim Royal Mail's service is worse than ever
Hi I haven't received anything. \"Where is my DVD? I placed the order 14 days ago.\" \"Never got it. Probably lost in the mail.\" \"Please refund me.\" These are the types of messages that Charlene Leworthy, an eBay seller in Hampshire, gets increasingly frequently - which she finds disappointing, but unsurprising.

Pep's getting Real Guardiola admits lying over claim City have 1% chance
Pep Guardiola admitted he \"lied\" after Manchester City lost the first leg of their Champions League playoff against Real Madrid and that their chances of going through are better than the 1% he gave them that night.
Lawyers hit out at critics of UK attorney general
Senior lawyers have condemned the \"venomous\" and \"deeply personal\" attacks on the attorney general, Richard Hermer, warning that they were causing \"immense and untold damage\" to society and the rule of law.

Islamophobic assaults up 73% in 'dangerous' era for UK Muslims, says charity
Now is the \"most dangerous\" time to be a Muslim in the UK, the head of a leading anti-hate crime charity has warned, as she revealed that recorded Islamophobic assaults surged by 73% in 2024.

Fossil fuels, heavy industry and 'Judeo-Christian values' will save Britain, says Farage
Nigel Farage yesterday called for the \"reindustrialisation\" of Britain and a \"180-degree shift\" to reverse the declining birthrate, as he praised the \"Judeo-Christian culture\" that he claimed has upheld western civilisation.