Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen: 10 key things to know ahead of Xabi Alonso return – Liverpool FC

Liverpool head into their fourth Champions League match of the season in a good position, but Bayer Leverkusen present their toughest test yet at Anfield.

Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Champions League (4) | Anfield
November 5, 2024 | 8pm (GMT)

After beating Brighton and leapfrogging Man City onto the top of the Premier League, Liverpool are now looking to extend their winning run in Europe.

A win against Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen would see Liverpool, at a minimum, remain joint-top of the Champions League league phase league table – surely there’s a better name for it than that.

1. The Champions League state of play

Liverpool have been perfect so far in Europe this season, beating AC Milan and RB Leipzig away, as well as Bologna at home.

Only Aston Villa can claim to have a record matching the Reds, winning against Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Bologna at home also.

Such is the nature of the league phase, though, Liverpool are still only two points above Arsenal who sit ninth, one place below the automatic qualification places for the round of 16.

While automatic qualification won’t be guaranteed for any side until the last couple of matchdays, the Reds are looking good to stay to finish in the top 24 of the league, which would qualify Arne Slot‘s side for the play-off round.

With three points from three matches, AC Milan are the team currently in 25th position.

2. Xabi Alonso back at Anfield

Before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009, Xabi Alonso was a firm favourite among Liverpool supporters for his floppy hair, football brain and above all, brilliant passing ability.

When he swapped Merseyside for Madrid, the midfielder was 28 years old and would go on to win four league titles and a Champions League across his time in Spain and at Bayern Munich.

He never faced Liverpool as a player and, now managing Leverkusen, will return to Anfield to a warm reception.

It isn’t really his first time back, though – the Spaniard has played in Liverpool Legends matches over the last few years.

At the weekend, Alonso said: “It’s a huge game. To play in the Champions League at Anfield. It can’t get much better than that, the atmosphere is super.

“They are one of best teams in Europe, they are dominant so it’s a huge challenge, they will make it difficult for us.”

3. Ibrahima Konate is fine after wrist injury

Having been forced off just before half time against Brighton with his arm in a makeshift sling, fans feared Ibrahima Konate was facing a spell on the sidelines.

Thankfully, there was no break to his wrist and he is already back in training and, according to Konate himself, available to play against Leverkusen.

On Monday, he wrote online “My injury isn’t serious thankfully. I had a scan today and it confirmed there is no break. I’ll be ready for the next game.”

4. Liverpool team prediction

As usual, arguably the biggest selection conundrum for Slot comes on the left wing as he must decide whether to play Cody Gakpo or Luis Diaz.

Given the latter didn’t start against Brighton on Saturday, the odds are that he will come back in for the Leverkusen match.

The same could be said about Curtis Jones, who also made an impact from the bench at the weekend, while in defence, Konate might not be risked despite being “completely recovered,” according to Slot.

Predicted XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz

5. Caoimhin Kelleher experiencing Anfield first

Despite having made 53 appearances for the Reds, Caoimhin Kelleher has never played a Champions League game in front of supporters at Anfield.

Asked about the upcoming occasion, he said: “It will be quite cool. Obviously I’ve been there and experienced quite a few nights of Champions League – I didn’t play obviously but I was here.

“The atmosphere is always electric on European nights so yeah, it will be a special moment tomorrow and one I’m looking forward to for sure.”

6. 1 win in 4 for Leverkusen

While Alonso may be returning to Anfield as an unbeaten Bundesliga-winning manager, the current season hasn’t actually gone too well.

After winning the DFB Pokal, Bundesliga and reaching the Europa League final, Leverkusen went into the current campaign with high expectations.

With nine matches played, though, they have 16 points, nine fewer than at this stage last season.

In addition, they have won just one of their last four matches, including a 1-1 draw against Brest in the Champions League, a competition in which they have seven points from three games against Feyenoord, AC Milan and Brest.

7. “A big European tie,” says Arne Slot

While Liverpool could lose this game, and possibly another couple, and still progress to win the trophy outright, Slot thinks this is still “a big European tie.”

The Dutchman said: “It is a big European tie which is almost always the situation if you play Champions League, even in the new format, although there might be maybe one or two or three teams that are not as known as all the other teams that are in the competition.”

“In Europe last season, they were incredible of course. This season, in my opinion, they are still the same. Just as good but a bit more unlucky when it comes to results.

“So, a game to look forward to for many people who love this game.”

8. Amazing home record against German teams

Mo Salah is one goal away from recording 50 in the Champions League – he has scored more in the competition than any other African player in history.

Liverpool have never lost to a German side at Anfield in Europe, having faced them 20 times in total, winning 16 games and drawing the other four, keeping 14 clean sheets in the process.

Each of Liverpool’s six goals in the Champions League this season has come from a different scorer: Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Salah.

9. Who is the referee?

The match will be refereed by an all-Dutch officiating team, led by Danny Makkelie on the pitch and Rob Dieperink in the VAR booth.

Their compatriots, Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries, are the assistant referees, while Clay Ruperti will assist Dieperink on VAR.

The fourth official is Allard Lindhout. Hopefully, Slot can charm the officials in his native Dutch language!

10. Follow the match with TIA

Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen is live on Amazon Prime Video with kick-off at 8pm (GMT).

TIA’s matchday live blog will be up and running from 7.15pm, with Henry Jackson tasked with keeping you entertained and up-to-date.

Come on you Reds!