Liverpool continues to dominate in the new-look Champions League, with a commanding 4-0 win against Leverkusen at Anfield. Reds icon Xabi Alonso returns as Leverkusen's coach, making for an emotionally charged atmosphere. Leverkusen's head coach Arne Slot faces one of his most challenging assignments since taking over the team in the summer. Follow the Liverpool ECHO's coverage, including goal updates and reaction, to stay updated on all things LFC.
Liverpool Crushes Leverkusen in Champions League Clash
Liverpool continued their dominance in the revamped Champions League with a commanding 4-0 home victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The match was filled with intrigue as Reds legend Xabi Alonso returned to Anfield as Leverkusen's coach, setting the stage for an emotional reunion.
Liverpool's victory extended their unbeaten streak in the Champions League to 12 matches, further solidifying their status as one of Europe's top clubs. The Reds were relentless in their attack, with goals from Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo sealing the win.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen's defeat marked a setback in their European campaign. Despite a strong start under manager Arne Slot, the German club was outclassed by a rampant Liverpool side.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
1. Who scored the opening goal for Liverpool? Answer: Roberto Firmino
2. Which Liverpool player assisted on Trent Alexander-Arnold's goal? Answer: Darwin Nunez
3. Who is Leverkusen's new head coach? Answer: Xabi Alonso
4. How many Champions League matches has Liverpool gone unbeaten? Answer: 12
5. When was the last time Liverpool lost a home match in the Champions League? Answer: March 11, 2021, against Real Madrid
Background
The Champions League has undergone significant changes this season, with the introduction of a new format featuring 36 teams in a single league structure. This has created a more competitive and unpredictable tournament.
Liverpool has emerged as one of the early frontrunners in the competition, having won both of their opening fixtures. The Reds are looking to claim their seventh Champions League title, which would make them the most successful English club in the competition's history.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, is aiming to make a deep run in the tournament for the first time since reaching the final in 2002. The German club has a talented squad led by Florian Wirtz, Moussa Diaby, and Jeremie Frimpong.
The clash between Liverpool and Leverkusen was a rematch of their group stage meeting last season, which Liverpool won 2-1 at Anfield. The Reds will be hoping for a similar result when they travel to Leverkusen for the return fixture on October 11.
After a four-game losing streak, Manchester City are hoping to turn things around as they face Tottenham. Arsenal's win over Nottingham Forest helps them stay in the race for their first Premier League title in over 20 years, thanks to a strong performance from Martin Odegaard, who returned from injury. Meanwhile, Chelsea remain ahead of Arsenal on goal difference after a win against Leicester in Enzo Maresca's first game as manager.
Chelsea emerged victorious against Leicester with a 2-1 win, thanks to goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez in the first and second half respectively. Mads Hermansen's save and a disallowed goal added to the intensity of the game, but the visitors held on to secure all three points. This win puts Chelsea just one point behind 2nd placed Manchester City in the Premier League standings.
Arsenal and Brighton both clinched 1-0 victories in their respective matches against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, thanks to goals from Pedro and Saka. In other matches, Aston Villa and Wolves each scored equalizers against Crystal Palace and Fulham, while Manchester City took on Tottenham in a late match. Chelsea kicked off the day with a win against Leicester, and football fans can share their thoughts through #bbcfootball on WhatsApp or text.
Football pundits Joe Cole and Peter Crouch express their frustration with VAR after key decisions in the match between Leicester City and Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. Chelsea are currently leading 1-0 at half-time, thanks to a goal from Nicolas Jackson. The TNT Sports commentators believe Leicester should have been reduced to ten men after a dangerous tackle from Wilfred Ndidi, but VAR chose not to intervene. Cole and Crouch argue that the tackle could have seriously injured Chelsea's Cole Palmer.
Chelsea dominated Leicester City in their Premier League clash, with Nicolas Jackson scoring the only goal of the match in the 15th minute. The grudge match saw Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca returning to his old club for the first time since leaving in the summer. Despite having a goal disallowed for offside, the Blues were in complete control with around 70% possession. Young talent Noni Madueke also impressed, but had his goal ruled out for an offside call that was later revealed to be incorrect after the Spaniard was the one who cut the ball back for Madueke.
Chelsea secured a 2-1 win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, thanks to goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez. The victory was extra special for Chelsea's manager, Enzo Maresca, who returned to his former club and led his team to victory. Fernandez was the standout performer for Chelsea, scoring a goal and providing an assist in an impressive display.
In a dominant display of batting, rising Indian star Yashasvi Jaiswal has set a new world record for most sixes hit by a batter in a single calendar year in Test cricket. His valiant knock of 90 runs from 193 balls in the first innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth saw him hit seven fours and two crucial sixes, surpassing the previous record held by former New Zealand great Brendon McCullum. With this feat, Jaiswal has already broken the all-time India record set by Virender Sehwag earlier this year, proving his potential as a budding opening batsman.
Tilak Varma, the third-best T20I batter in the world, smashed 151 runs off 67 balls in Hyderabad's win over Meghalaya, setting a new record for the highest individual score in SMAT history. This was also Tilak's third consecutive T20 hundred, making him the first batter to achieve this feat. Hyderabad's total of 248 for six was its highest score in the tournament, while Meghalaya managed to score a mere 69 runs in response.
In his Test debut against Australia, Yashasvi Jaiswal showed commendable strength and confidence as he held his own against fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Despite being dismissed for a duck in the first innings, Jaiswal came back stronger in the second innings, helping India establish a lead with a half-century and a century partnership with KL Rahul. With his sights set on becoming the future of Indian Test cricket, Jaiswal is proving that he can perform under pressure on the international stage.
After a disappointing loss to Real Sociedad, Barcelona returns to LaLiga action against Celta Vigo, who have been struggling in the bottom half of the standings. Despite their defeat, Barcelona remains the league leaders and will be determined to continue their dominant run. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo will be looking for an upset against the top team.