When Jurgen Klopp announced his departure as Liverpool manager earlier this year, anxiety filled the stands at Anfield.
The German became a legend on Merseyside thanks to Premier League and Champions League triumphs, but his exit has become almost a footnote at the start of Arne Slot’s chapter in charge of the Reds.
The Dutchman has now won an incredible 14 of his first 16 matches in charge, seeing off Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The former Liverpool midfielder was tipped to take over in the summer, but Slot delivered the clearest indication that the Premier League giants got their manager decision right in the summer by tearing Leverkusen apart in a 4-0 victory.
With Diogo Jota out and Darwin Nunez not fancied, Luis Diaz was handed the keys to Liverpool’s striker position and made it count, bagging three goals in the second half to power his side to victory.
The Colombian naturally drifted into wide areas and looked to create, but his movement and dexterity confounded Leverkusen’s back three, who rarely looked comfortable in defence.
The tactical decision looked to catch Alonso’s visitors off guard, with no solution to stop Diaz’s rampage from presenting itself.
It was always going to take a mammoth effort for Leverkusen to repeat their heroics of 2023/24 this time around. They only lost one game in all competitions last season – that being the Europa League final – but this defeat means they have already surpassed that tally this term.
It’s hardly time for Alonso to panic, but there’s no doubt his side are struggling to cultivate a clear identity, with the Spaniard attempting to improve his defence but doing so at the expense of his previously creative and dangerous forward line.
The Bundesliga champions are still well placed in the Champions League but sit seven points behind Bayern Munich in Germany’s top flight, with few slip-ups allowed if Leverkusen are to retain their domestic title.
Given his role in an iconic Liverpool team in the 2000s, it’s unsurprising Alonso got some love from the home crowd.
The 42-year-old won the 2005 Champions League during his 210 appearances on Merseyside and the admiration from the Anfield crowd was evident. They were even pretty quiet during the first half as Leverkusen frustrated their hosts, though that silence turned to rapturous applause with each goal that went in.
It’s clear Alonso is still revered at his former club and there could still be a reunion in the future.
Before any such reunion, however, credit has to be given to Liverpool’s current manager.
Few bosses have made such incredible impacts at big clubs, with Slot the architect to a start that sees the Reds sit at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables. A certain drop-off was expected after Klopp’s departure, but if anything the Dutchman has reinvigorated his new team and united them in pursuit of silverware.
Slot himself had claimed Liverpool hadn’t faced quality opposition during his brilliant start, but recent weeks have yielded wins against Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leverkusen. That has only whetted the appetite for huge upcoming clashes with Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Manchester City, games that will undoubtedly signal more about Slot’s credentials.
