Liverpool vs Leverkusen live updates: Champions League ...
Liverpool are hosting Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League today in a game that sees Xabi Alonso return to Anfield.
The Spaniard played for Liverpool from 2004 until 2009 and helped the club to win the 2005 Champions League. Follow live coverage below.
TV/stream info: TNT Sports (UK), Paramount+ (U.S.)Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Jones, Gakpo; Diaz.Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-2-1): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Garcia; Boniface.Subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.
9' Liverpool 0-0 Leverkusen
Jeremie Frimpong powers in a robust cross from the right and Ibrahima Konate gets his head in the way.
It hits him on the wrong part, though, and he goes down grimacing.
Ref Makkelie pauses the play to make sure he's OK as it's a suspecting head injury.
Konate is fine, though, so we play on.
At the other end, Mohamed Salah then bares his teeth in a frustrated grin as he barges over Piero Hincapie from behind after being shunted off the ball and (rightly) gives away the set-piece. Not that the home fans agree.
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5' Liverpool 0-0 Leverkusen
The crackling atmosphere on Merseyside is being punctuated by the sound of crashes and bangs of November 5 fireworks exploding in the background.
None of that drama on the pitch so far...
3' Liverpool 0-0 Leverkusen
Leverkusen work it down the right, Frimpong brings it forward and Tsimikas back-tracks, wary of the wing-back's blistering pace.
Frimpong slings it across the area, where striker Victor Boniface has an ambitious first-time effort that trickles wide of the left post. Kelleher watches that go by unconcerned.
He's not scared to shoot, Boniface!
1' Liverpool 0-0 Leverkusen
Leverkusen, who take up an interesting shape from kick-off, bunt it out of play via Piero Hincapie.
The stadium is bouncing with noise early on!
Gasps and applause as Alexis Mac Allister goes airborne before sort of karate-kicking a lovely pass out to Cody Gakpo on the left.
As expected, Diaz plays through the middle, with Gakpo on the left.
Referee Danny Makkelie blows his whistle and we're up and running at Anfield!
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A warm embrace and handshake between managers Arne Slot and Xabi Alonso.
Hand slaps for the players too.
Moments away from kick-off!
The Athletic
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has scored in his last five UEFA Champions League appearances at Anfield (five goals).
A sixth consecutive goal would be the most in the competition for an English club since 2003.
Impressive.
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A warm welcome for Alonso.
The Athletic
Since the start of last season, no team have won more games (11) or scored more goals (37) in European competition than Bayer Leverkusen.
Well, Dinamo Zagreb thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-1, and PSV Eindhoven beat ten-man Girona 4-0.
Plenty of goals!
Hopefully an auspicious sign for the matches coming up...
Lots of talk about an ex-midfielder in Xabi Alonso this evening but what a time it is for the current Liverpool star man in the middle, Ryan Gravenberch.
He’s one of only four players to start every Premier League and Champions League game this season alongside Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah, which shows how far he has come.
Perhaps at some point he will need a rest, but right now Slot is keen to use him in all the big games because of the way he has started this season.
The question in the early months of the campaign was whether he could handle it in the real big moments. He showed against Chelsea and Arsenal that he can and tonight is going to be another difficult challenge.
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Today's match marks the fifth meeting between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen all-time, and the first since 2005.
Each time the two teams played in the past, the winner of their two-legged tie went on to reach the final of the Champions League that season.
In the 2002 quarter-finals, Liverpool won the first leg 1-0 at Anfield but Leverkusen overturned that with a 4-2 victory in the return leg. The German club went on to lose the final against Real Madrid.
And in the 2005 round of 16, Liverpool won each leg by a score of 3-1 en route to lifting the trophy with a famous comeback against AC Milan in the final. This was Xabi Alonso's first season with Liverpool, though he didn't play in either match against Leverkusen due to injury.
I agree with James on the Liverpool line-up.
The UEFA team sheet has Luis Diaz on the left wing and Cody Gakpo through the middle, but we're expecting to see Diaz central with Gakpo continuing on the left.
Interesting that Kostas Tsimikas keeps his place at left-back, with Andy Robertson on the bench again.
GO FURTHER
Liverpool’s Andy Robertson being rotated after lack of pre-season – Arne Slot
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Xabi Alonso returns to Anfield tonight, 15 years after leaving for Real Madrid and 16 years after Rafa Benitez tried to sell him to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.
The former Liverpool manager tried to explain a potential move many found strange.
As Jamie Carragher says, "There was no comparison between the players."
Read more below!
GO FURTHER
Why Liverpool fell for Xabi Alonso, the ‘spray gun’ who became an adopted Scouser
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Granit Xhaka is no stranger to playing at Anfield, having spent seven seasons with Arsenal.
"I've got good and not so good memories here," the midfielder said yesterday. "Of course, I've told my team-mates about them. Tomorrow is a big challenge but also a big chance for us. We have a clear plan and want to assert our game."
Xhaka also singled out Mohamed Salah for praise, adding: "He brings a lot of quality. He's had an incredible career and continued to improve. He's become a big legend here, in my opinion.
"You certainly have to double up on him because he's always dangerous, particularly on his left foot, but he also makes a lot of assists and is physically strong."
Liverpool issued 75 lifetime bans from Anfield over the course of last season in the ongoing battle over ticket touting, The Athletic reported last week.
The Premier League club has revealed it also imposed a further 136 indefinite suspensions and shut down close to 100,000 fake ticketing accounts.
A further 5,670 accounts are currently under review for suspicious activity, including supplying people who have recently been charged by Merseyside Police with fraud related to ticket touting.
The majority of lifetime bans and indefinite suspensions were handed down for unauthorised selling of season tickets, memberships or hospitality tickets.
GO FURTHER
Liverpool reveal anti-ticket touting sanctions, including 75 lifetime bans from Anfield
Interesting team selection from Arne Slot. Rewarding Curtis Jones for his impressive cameo against Brighton at the weekend makes sense as Dominik Szoboszlai makes way.
The other change is a surprise as Darwin Nunez drops to the bench and Luis Diaz starts. Slot has been reluctant to play Gakpo centrally so far as he believes he’s much more effective coming in off the left, so expecting Diaz to be operating centrally.
Diaz did well on Saturday after being brought on through the middle.
Supporters haven't been shy in giving their views in The Athletic's 'Discuss' tab at the top of the page and clickable here.
Liverpool fan Mark B says: Leverkusen a clear rival for a top 8 place, so a big chance to really put ourselves ahead in the battle for top 8. And let the crowd influence the game like in the second half, let’s forget about control at times, and let the atmosphere dictate the game.
Dan H adds: Such a rare opportunity to see two young, impressive coaches go toe to toe.
While an anonymous user posts: I would like to see Gomez get a start. Thought he was great when he came on and it’s not a bad thing for Konate to not start every game considering he’s not the most durable player. I expect tonight to be a real test as our opponents have some real game changers.
