Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: Luis Diaz bags a hat-trick as the Reds run riot in the second half to spoil Xabi Alonso’s Anfield homecoming

It was the hardest blow landed on Xabi Alonso since Nigel de Jong turned into Jackie Chan and kung-fu kicked him in the chest in the 2010 World Cup final. His German champions were not just beaten but embarrassed by the club which holds such a big place in his heart.

His homecoming started and ended well, with a respectful touch of the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign on arrival and a rousing rendition of his name by the Kop at full-time. But everything in between saw his Bayer Leverkusen team outclassed by Liverpool and Arne Slot.

Luis Diaz scored a second-half hat-trick after starting as a No 9, Mohamed Salah kept up his case for being not just the club’s greatest goalscorer but best creator – and Slot again showed why he – not fans’-desired choice Alonso – was the right man to replace Jurgen Klopp all along.

Yet despite all those talking points, the highlight came from Curtis Jones and an exquisite assist to kickstart Liverpool’s rout. It was one of those moments which separate world-class midfielders from the bog standard, with a vision that belies most of the stadium.

Sat up in the Main Stand or the Kop, 99 per cent of the ground would not have seen the pass was on. They would not try it, never mind pull it off. But if there was one man who would have spotted it, that would be the chap in the pristine white trainers in the away technical area.

The Colombian opened the scoring with a delightful chip over Lukas Hradecky in the away goal

Cody Gakpo continued his fine form in front of goal with the Reds’ second after a devastating counter-attack

This was an assist to make Alonso proud. A cushioned punch to tear open a previously well-drilled Leverkusen back line like splitting the atom of a molecule. A perfect off-the-ball dart from Diaz before an equally deft finish with a sumptuous chip over the goalkeeper.

And just like that, Liverpool were ahead. Alonso had enjoyed a career of making the breathtaking look easy – he has a World Cup, two European Cups, multiple national titles to prove it – and that is what Jones did here to cap off an all-round mercurial performance.

That will come as a blow to Ruben Peeters and Liverpool’s sport scientists who preach about managing sleep patterns to improve athletic performance. New father Jones has barely slept since the birth of daughter Giselle – but is in the form of his life. Watching, Thomas Tuchel?

Given goals are like London buses for Liverpool at the moment, Jones’ magic was the catalyst for more. Two goals in three minutes to flip the game against Brighton on Saturday and the same here as Cody Gakpo doubled the Reds’ advantage after Salah’s fine cross.

Anfield was roaring by this point. Beforehand, it had felt somewhat like a charity match – and not just because Alonso was joined in attendance by his old boss Rafael Benitez and Luis Garcia, plus Stephen Warnock on BBC duties to complete a class of 2005 reunion.

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso returned to Anfield with his Bayer Leverkusen side 

It was a dull affair which seemed to lack jeopardy, much of UEFA’s doing for bloating the football calendar. For the first half, the only action worthy of note was watching Alonso marching around his technical area like a man possessed, fists clenched and crouched down with worry.

He spent 30 seconds just staring into the deep red structure of the Kop, looking awestruck still at this ground – completely different to how he will remember it. How he must have wished he could have stepped back on the field and take control of the game as he so often did.

Despite the scoreline, his team made a good fist of the match for an hour. Jeremie Frimpong, once of Manchester City and Celtic, had a goal disallowed for a handball in the build-up and Caoimhin Kelleher was forced into action several times. They limited Liverpool for a long period.

But as the game ticked towards the hour mark, the Anfield crowd took action and the cackling sound of fireworks on Bonfire Night going off around Merseyside was replaced by metaphoric explosions on the pitch.

Salah missed a big chance after fine work from Ryan Gravenberch to further entice the noise and, with the next attack, Jones threaded an eye-of-the-needle pass for Diaz to dink a shot over Lukas Hradecky on 61 minutes.

Diaz completed the scoring to see the home side maintain their perfect start to the campaign

The home side have now won 14 of their first 16 matches in all competitions this season

Arne Slot’s side sit top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League standings

On 63, Salah found space on the right and put the ball on a plate for Gakpo’s fourth goal in the last three games. Diaz added a third on 83 minutes, again assisted by Salah, to quell any doubts about him starting as a No 9 – though he was on the left by this point.

Then the Colombian scored his first career hat-trick after Darwin Nunez fluffed his lines in front of goal. A rousing chant of Alonso’s name followed at full-time to which he replied with a wave but, in truth, he will be happy that it was a goodbye wave after his side were outclassed.