Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: Reds Player Ratings as Luis Diaz shines in second half flurry | UEFA Champions League 2024-25

An uneventful first half was followed by a devastating second from Liverpool as they put four past Bayer Leverkusen to win 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 5.

Following their 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, manager Arne Slot made two changes to the side. Curtis Jones came in for Dominik Szoboszlai while Darwin Nunez was replaced by Luis Diaz.

The first half proved to be a quiet period as neither side managed to create any notable chances. Jeremie Frimpong did score late on but was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up, ruling his effort out.

Following the break, Liverpool seized control of the affair. They pressed forward in attack and eventually took the lead in the 61st minute through Diaz. An accurate through ball from Jones found the Colombian winger, who coolly chipped the onrushing keeper to open the scoring.

Just two minutes later, Cody Gakpo doubled the Reds' tally. Diaz's driving run set up Mohamed Salah, who found the Dutchman at the back post for a simple header.

Liverpool continued to dominate the affair and Diaz sealed the game in the 82nd minute with his second goal. Salah was the creator again, lifting a ball into the box, which was controlled well by the 27-year-old before he fired it home.

Diaz secured the match ball home late on, completing his hat-trick in stoppage time. Nunez's effort was blocked by Piero Hincapie, but the rebound fell to Diaz, who made no mistake to put the icing on a stunning performance from the Reds.

The result sees Slot's men jump to the top of the Champions League table, having won all four of their games. Leverkusen, meanwhile, find themselves in 11th place. Here are the player ratings:

Liverpool Player Ratings

Caoimhin Kelleher - 6.5/10

A largely quiet night for Kelleher as Leverkusen's attack struggled to test him for most parts of the game. He found some action late on, finishing with four saves, including a sharp stop to deny Patrick Schick.

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6.5/10

Alexander-Arnold continues to look strong defensively under Arne Slot, with Liverpool boasting one of the best records in that regard domestically and in Europe. Against the Bundesliga champions, the right-back covered his position well and had a solid game.

Ibrahima Konate - 7/10

Arguably Liverpool's best defender on the night, the Frenchman played with an injured arm, having hurt it against Brighton over the weekend. He was immense in the backline, completely shutting down the threat of Victor Boniface.

Virgil van Dijk - 7/10

Van Dijk continues to show his class with another impressive outing. His passing was on display as well, finishing 95% of his attempts (70/74) including four accurate long balls and six passes into the final third.

Kostas Tsimikas - 6/10

Handed his second consecutive start over Robertson, Tsimikas had a quiet night out. He could have defended Frimpong better in the lead-up to their disallowed goal while he did not offer much going forward.

Ryan Gravenberch - 6.5/10

Another solid performance from the Dutchman, impressing defensively while connecting well with his midfield partners.

Alexis Mac Allister - 6/10

Following a difficult outing against Brighton, the Argentine midfielder struggled again, especially in the first half, seemingly unable to deal with the pace of the game. He recovered in the second period and helped Liverpool close the game out.

Curtis Jones - 7/10

An energetic performance from the 23-year-old, running up and down the pitch. His brilliant pass opened the floodgates for the Reds, indicating he may get a run in the team over Szoboszlai.

Mohamed Salah - 7.5/10

It was another great performance from the Egyptian winger. After a silent first half, he grew in confidence in the second, setting up two goals and was a constant threat down the right.

Luis Diaz - 9/10

Playing in a more central role as opposed to his natural left-sided place in the team, Diaz shone with a hat-trick. The Colombian displayed his cool on multiple occasions with smart finishes and proved himself to be a key attacker for Arne Slot.

Cody Gakpo - 7.5/10

After struggling to find game time early in the season, Gakpo has now found his groove. Another goal means he now has six goals and two assists for the season, meaning regular game time could now be on the cards with Diogo Jota's injury.

Substitutes

Dominik Szoboszlai - 6/10

Replaced Jones for the last 15 minutes or so, but did not have much of an impact.

Darwin Nunez, Andrew Robertson, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah - N/A

The four players came on late in the game and did not play enough minutes to merit a rating.