Liverpool cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory against German champions Bayer Leverkusen to maintain their 100% record in this season’s Champions League. A scintillating second-half performance saw Arne Slot’s men step up the tempo and bag three goals to secure three points.
Luis Diaz was the star of the show as the Colombian netted a second-half hat-trick to solidify the Reds’ place at the top of the European table. The 27-year-old was deployed as a central striker to accommodate Slot’s compatriot Cody Gakpo on the left-hand side of the home side’s frontline.
The Dutchman was the other man to find the net, vindicating the manager’s decision to start without a recognised centre-forward on the night. Darwin Nunez was the man to make way from the XI that started against Brighton in the Premier League at the weekend.
Cody Gakpo vs Bayer Leverkusen in Numbers
The Netherlands international was brilliant
Aside from his goal, a brave diving header from an excellent Mohamed Salah cross, Gakpo continued to impress in his natural left-wing role. He remained on the pitch for 80 minutes and showed what he can bring to the table after the half-time break following a slow start to proceedings.
Racking up 1.03 expected goals, the former PSV Eindhoven man has proven to be a greater goal threat than even Liverpool fans had previously recognised. It marked his second successive goal at the Kop end after netting a vital goal against Brighton at the weekend.
His dribbling with the ball wasn’t quite as strong as it usually is, as the 25-year-old failed to complete any of his three attempts at running with the ball. However, a lot of that was down to the tight system Leverkusen utilised as he was forced into traffic on his stronger right foot.
He found a teammate 14 times from 18 attempted passes while having 39 touches. He wasn’t the standout performer on the night, but it’s promising that he can still provide goals even when not at his electric best.
Luis Diaz vs Bayer Leverkusen in Numbers
He scored a first Liverpool hat-trick
Unlike Gakpo, Diaz completed the full 90 minutes and made the most of this opportunity. He scored his third goal in the dying moments after a quick counter-attack, which did involve Nunez to his credit. This capped a sensational display from the Colombia international as he found a way past Lukas Hradecky three times from 1.64 expected goals.
Even more impressively, Diaz only had three shots on target in the entire game, highlighting his improved finishing ability under Slot’s guidance. Despite playing in an unusual role – through the middle – he was still able to use his blistering pace, as shown by his opening goal. Latching on to a well-executed Curtis Jones pass, Diaz audaciously chipped the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Again, it wasn’t a night for running with the ball as the electric winger failed to complete a single dribble against a stubborn backline. He did have a more efficient night on the ball than Gakpo, however, with a passing accuracy of 88%.
Three of these successful passes were long balls and included one key pass to a teammate. Getting on the scoresheet three times, Diaz proved he can be a creative threat through the middle, expertly picking out Salah on the right flank to set up Gakpo’s goal.
Darwin Nunez Faces Fight to Displace Diaz & Gakpo
Slot doesn’t look convinced
Nunez was brought on to replace Gakpo in the final 10 minutes, with Diaz shifting back to the left-side of the attack. Despite the hosts being 3-0 ahead at the time, Slot opted not to introduce the chaotic Uruguayan earlier.
This might not bode well for the striker, who was sat on the bench watching a Diaz masterclass in his position. Nunez has only found the net twice in all competitions this term, which leaves question marks around his suitability to be Slot’s starting forward.
With Diogo Jota out injured, it may just be a case of a manager making the most of his squad and protecting the Uruguay international. However, Diaz’s performance when brought on against Brighton, coupled with his Leverkusen dismantling, could give the Dutchman a huge selection dilemma. There are plenty of games to play, but the club-record signing not being seen as a definite starter isn’t a great look.
Fans have often been quick to show their frustration at the ex-Benfica man’s inconsistencies. This was evidenced as Nunez failed to release the ball to a teammate in a 4-on-2 situation. Luckily for the 25-year-old, his ambitious shot was deflected into the path of Diaz, who ensured he’d be taking the match ball home with a cool finish. The £140,000-per-week star was called ‘fortunate’ on social media after almost blowing a brilliant attacking opportunity.
Statistics courtesy of SofaScore. Correct as of 05-11-24.