Liverpool condemned Xabi Alonso to an unhappy return by thrashing Bayer Leverkusen.
Luis Diaz broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark with a perfectly-timed run to receive Curtis Jones’ through pass before lifting the ball over Lukas Hradecky.
The Reds doubled their lead when Cody Gakpo converted Mohamed Salah’s cross at the far post once VAR overruled the original offside decision.
Diaz extended a comprehensive second half for the hosts in the closing stages as he held off Jonas Hofmann and swept home from another Salah delivery.
The Colombian claimed his hat-trick deep in added time by pouncing to drill the rebound after substitute Darwin Nunez’s shot was deflected into his path.
Arne Slot’s side ended Tuesday sitting top of the Champions League’s standings after taking maximum points from their opening four games.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Slot proves Reds made right call
Xabi Alonso’s Anfield homecoming would always be a pivotal moment.
As a player, he graced Liverpool’s midfield with distinction for six years that produced numerous memorable moments and some silverware to boot.
The 42-year-old’s stock continued to rise after trading the engine room for the technical area to the point that he appeared to be Jurgen Klopp’s rightful heir.
Even his potential predecessor offered a ringing endorsement of a candidacy which, for whatever reason, ultimately failed to materialise this summer.
Whether Alonso snubbed his former club or they simply chose to go in a different direction remains a heavily-guarded secret by all parties.
Kopites may never actually know the real truth of the matter for years, possibly even decades, until the day it is finally brought to light
But Slot fully vindicated the Reds’ faith in him by besting the man supposedly destined to take the reins as Leverkusen were comfortably put the sword.
Even with Die Werkself’s penchant for flipping seemingly insurmountable deficits in their favour, they never appeared likely to trouble their hosts.
Diaz joins the flexibility fraternity
One of the benefits of Slot’s formative months at the helm has been his ability to seamlessly blend Liverpool’s players from square pegs into round holes.
Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were early successes of that approach in becoming reinvented in their respective roles.
That fraternity gained a new member on Tuesday as the Dutchman deployed Luis Diaz as the central striker against Leverkusen to a productive effect.
A second half hat-trick took the headlines but the Colombia international did more than simply compounding Lukas Hradecky’s misery in The Kop goal.
Admittedly a 61st-minute opener was key to calibrating his new role after struggling to pose a regular threat to the Bundesliga champions’ defence.
Once the net rippled, however, Diaz appeared in his element; regularly posing Leverkusen problems by confidently showcasing real potency in front of goal.
More than most, Slot appeared overjoyed by his match ball-clinching strike demonstrating a ruthless streak by seizing on Darwin Nunez’s deflected effort.
With games coming thick and fast, the winger’s newfound versatility promises to prove an invaluable asset to lighten the load for Liverpool’s attacking line.
Madrid rematch holds no fears
Every stage of the new-look Champions League format has posed challenges for Slot’s side but their next could be an exception to that particular rule.
Real Madrid’s visit in three weeks’ time would previously have been daunting for a club scarred by the recent encounters with their forthcoming opponents.
A 5-2 humbling in February 2023 killed off hopes of reaching the quarter final stage even before a cagey stalemate in the return fixture at the Bernabeu.
In the last eight meetings, Carlo Ancelotti’s side never finished on the losing side and twice were crowned European champions at Liverpool’s expense.
Yet the reigning holders now hold increasingly little concerns for the red half of Merseyside on account of their alarming fall from grace so far this season.
Already off the pace in La Liga, Los Blancos slipped to defeat at home to AC Milan which leaves their bid for automatic qualification facing an uphill task.
The continent’s table toppers, meanwhile, appear unflappable after inflicting Leverkusen’s heaviest defeat under Alonso and only their third in 69 games.
Madrid’s incredible record in this competition means they can still always spring a surprise but on the current evidence, they will no longer be feared.