Liverpool beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in the Champions League with two moments of high quality at Anfield. Bayer Leverkusen started well, looking very comfortable on the ball, with both teams seeming to have lots of respect for each other.
The movement looked good from both teams, but inside the first 20 minutes, a shot by Curtis Jones was the only action either goalkeeper was called upon to make, until the forty-fourth minute, when Jeremie Frimpong nudged the ball past Tsimikas to score, but VAR disallowed the goal for handball. Ultimately, the first-half failed to live up to expectations.
In the second-half, Liverpool produced two moments of high quality. Firstly, when Curtis Jones provided a sumptuous side-footed pass that opened up Leverkusen and put Luis Diaz through on goal to chip beautifully over the onrushing Hradecky. Then, two minutes later, Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool’s lead after he converted Mo Salah’s cross.
Liverpool showed their clinical nature by grabbing a third goal through Diaz inside the last 10 minutes before completing his hat-trick in the last minute, leaving Liverpool with a very impressive result.
Liverpool v Leverkusen Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
Liverpool | Statistic | Leverkusen |
47% | Possession | 53% |
22 | Shots | 12 |
8 | Shots on target | 4 |
1 | Corners | 3 |
4 | Saves | 4 |
0 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Match Highlights
Liverpool Player Ratings
Caoimhin Kelleher – 6/10
Had to maintain composure even though he was rarely called upon due to the nature of the game.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6/10
Used his vast European experience to weather the initial storm to enable Liverpool to win the game.
Virgil van Dijk – 6/10
Not particularly tested but had to show his leadership in the first half when Liverpool were level.
Ibrahima Konate – 6/10
Another solid performance at the back from Liverpool’s man-mountain.
Konstantinos Tsimikas – 6/10
Kept his place ahead of Andy Robertson and looked competent for the most part.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6/10
Beavered around the midfield looking to get a foothold into the game.
Ryan Gravenberch – 6/10
Not as involved as one might expect given his excellent season for Liverpool so far, but still showed his passing abilities when receiving the ball on the back foot.
Curtis Jones – 7/10
Looked to join in on attacks to try and make things happen against a well-drilled Leverkusen team and showed a great range of passing.
Mohamed Salah – 6/10
A little starved of service early on, but still had enough about him to draw the first booking of the game as the Egyptian was rugby-tackled by Aleix Garcia.
Cody Gakpo – 7/10
Came to life in the last few minutes of the first half with an effort on goal.
Luis Diaz – 8/10
Was arguably the home side’s most quiet player in the first-half, but showed his ability by sitting the goalkeeper down with his goal, then scored a great hat-trick.
SUB – Andy Robertson – 5/10
Got a 10-minute cameo, but the game was over when the Scot came on.
SUB – Connor Bradley – 5/10
Bradley came on late with Liverpool already in control.
SUB – Darwin Nunez – 5/10
Brought on for fresh legs with Liverpool having already done the damage.
SUB – Dominik Szoboszlai – 5/10
Another who was brought on for a late run out with the score already 2-0.
SUB – Jarell Quansah – 5/10
Brought on for the last two minutes.
Bayer Leverkusen Player Ratings
Lukas Hradecky – 6/10
Largely untested in the first-half in what turned out to be a very tight game, but could do nothing about Liverpool’s two goals.
Piero Hincapie – 6/10
Showed how well-versed he is in playing in Leverkusen’s tight defensive unit.
Jonathan Tah – 6/10
A very disciplined performance from the experienced German centre-back.
Edmond Tapsoba – 6/10
Continued to battle throughout the contest.
Alex Grimaldo – 6/10
Grizzled and determined team performance from the Spaniard.
Granit Xhaka – 6/10
Never won a game at Anfield during his time at Arsenal, but looked much better tonight.
Exequiel Palacios – 5/10
Saw plenty of the ball, especially in the first half, although he faded somewhat in the second half.
Jeremie Frimpong – 6/10
Showed his basketball skills, when he patted the ball down before scoring a disallowed first-half goal.
Aleix Garcia – 6/10
Struggled to keep pace with Mo Salah, which saw Garcia go into the book and was brought off in the second-half.
Florian Wirtz – 7/10
Showed his ability early on with some inventive passing and had some sparkle in a game that generally lacked that quality.
Victor Boniface – 5/10
Showed good work rate but in the end, it wasn’t his night.
SUB – Robert Andrich – 5/10
Came on at 2-0 but was unable to change the course of the game.
SUB – Jonas Hofman – 5/10
Another to come on at 2-0 but unable to impact the game.
SUB – Nathan Tella – 5/10
The damage had already been done when Tella came on.
SUB – Patrick Schick – 5/10
Tried to make things happen but the game was all but over when he came on.
Man of the Match
Luis Diaz
There was an argument to suggest Luis Diaz was Liverpool’s least effective player in the first-half, as the home side struggled to keep pace with the German visitors. Yet Diaz was on hand to give Liverpool with a wonderfully composed chip that left the Leverkusen keeper on his backside.
Even at 2-0, Leverkusen still showed signs of coming back, but the energy and power of Diaz saw to it that Leverkusen were put well and truly to the sword as he scored a second seven minutes from time, then completing his hat trick in the last minute to make the rest of Europe to sit up and take notice.