Díaz hat-trick dashes Alonso's hopes of Champions League return to Liverpool | Champions League

The greatest compliment to Xabi Alonso, wrote Arne Slot in his program notes, “is to be the best Liverpool we can be, without asking for a quarter and not giving a quarter.” Liverpool were perfectly committed to their former favorites to make a shocking return to Anfield.

The German champions were dismantled with a dominant second-half performance by Liverpool, who maintained their 100 percent record in this season's Champions League thanks to a hat-trick from Luis Diaz and a header from Cody Gakpo. Leverkusen were themselves unbeaten before arriving at Anfield. They emerged stronger and Liverpool climbed to the top of the table with the confidence of a side that won a remarkable 14 of their first 16 games under Slot.

It's rare for a manager to be celebrated by both sets of fans, but Alonso made an understandable exception. The Leverkusen coach received a rapturous reception from Liverpool fans when he gave a TV interview in front of the main stand before kick-off, and another from the traveling squad as he continued his media tours in their corner of the stadium. A penny for Alonso's thoughts as he stood next to Frank Lampard on the pundits podium? During their time in midfield for Liverpool and Chelsea, the pair exchanged several blows. One of these led to Alonso breaking his ankle early in his Anfield career.

“I don’t have time for tourism,” the former Liverpool midfielder said on the eve of the competition, making it clear that this was about defeating his former club. It will have been a relief for Alonso to put the mood aside and get on with the game, which began after a minute's silence for the victims of the Valencia floods. But he wouldn't have been the only one who would have wished for more after a sterile first half.

There was plenty of quality shown in possession and, per Slot's instructions, an immediate improvement from Liverpool's last start against Brighton. Luis Díaz was preferred to Darwin Núñez in the center of Liverpool's attack and opened up early for Cody Gakpo. His low shot went into the far corner of Lukas Hradecky's net until it hit Edmond Tapsoba on the heel. Despite Liverpool's overall performance and Leverkusen's ability to play through the middle with Granit Xhaka, Exequiel Palacios and Florian Wirtz, there was little incident in the first half.

The sharp and dangerous Wirtz provided the best opening with a magnificent chip over the Liverpool defense for Jeremie Frimpong. Instead of shooting, the Leverkusen full-back went down too easily at the slightest touch from Virgil van Dijk. Experienced referee Danny Makkelie had none of his ambitious penalty appeals. Just before half-time, Frimpong beat Caoimhín Kelleher with an impressive finish but failed to knock the ball away from Kostas Tsimikas.

Hradecky saved at his near post from Salah when Liverpool went out after a Leverkusen free-kick, and at the opposition corner from Gakpo when he was cleared by Curtis Jones after a great cross-field ball. Otherwise, the keepers were hardly in trouble before the break. A first half for the purists, if we're being kind.

However, Salah and Gakpo's chances signaled a change in Liverpool's momentum and their improvement continued into the second half. Leverkusen tried to fend off the situation with slow, patient play in the deep defense. It was a little too obvious for Makkelie's liking, who dismissed the visiting goalkeeper after several warnings for wasting time. Hradecky's problems were compounded when he was beaten by an exquisite Díaz chip seconds later.

Jones was instrumental in Liverpool's best work. The midfielder showed good footwork in the penalty area and created an early chance, but fired his shot high into the Kop. A rapid run from Ryan Gravenberch then led to a clear opening for Salah, who showed why he let his left foot have such devastating effect confident by hitting the goal wide with his right hand.

Doesn't matter. Liverpool's threat remained and Jones broke through the Leverkusen defense with a great pass that was threaded behind Tapsoba and into the path of Díaz. The Colombia international waited for Hradecky to break through before firing a wonderful chip over the advancing goalkeeper.

The Bundesliga champions, like Brighton before them, were completely overwhelmed by a quick second goal from Liverpool. Alonso's side were not quite as disappointed with the deficit as Salah exchanged passes with Díaz and fired a beautiful cross first-time to the far post. Gakpo, who rose freely, sent a powerful header past the Leverkusen goalkeeper. Liverpool's celebration was initially interrupted by an assistant's flag for offside. VAR revived it after a detailed review.

Victor Boniface, who had a bad night at the helm for the visitors, wasted a great chance to reduce the deficit when he headed Wirtz's cross wide. Liverpool made him pay. Hradecky prevented Alexis Mac Allister from scoring a third with a good save from down the left, but was beaten again when Salah fired another inviting cross over the ball.

Díaz shrugged his shoulders and curled a measured shot into the far corner. With three zeros, the idle Kop decided it was time to sing Alonso's name. Díaz decided it was time for his hat trick. Hradecky was denied by Darwin Núñez, but the rebound fell perfectly for the makeshift striker to convert.