Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen LIVE: Champions League score and updates as Gakpo and Diaz start

A lovely flick down the left wing from Kostas Tsimikas sends Luis Diaz on his way up the pitch. He darts inside and rolls a pass into the box for Mo Salah.

Salah thinks about a shot but sets up Curtis Jones instead. Jones runs onto the ball and drills his effort at goal but watches it land safely in the arms of Lukas Hradecky.

12 mins: Leverkusen have settled slightly after Liverpool’s strong start. They’re seeing more of the ball and forcing the Reds into deeper areas to defend.

Liverpool are quick on that counter attack though so the visitors need to remain wary.

9 mins: Leverkusen use their width for the first time in attack with Frimpong getting wide on the right wing. He whips a cross into the middle of the box but Ibrahima Konate is there to nod the ball away.

He stays down after his clearance and seemingly took a painful hit to the face. He’s okay though.

Another turn over and Liverpool’s front three fly forward. Mo Salah brings the ball then nestles it across to Luis Diaz. He takes it up to the box then releases a pass to Cody Gakpo.

Gakpo shoots with an effort across goal only for the ball to get deflected by Jeremie Frimpong.

6 mins: Liverpool have been strong over these opening minutes at winning the ball back in the middle of the pitch.

They work it quickly over to Gakpo again and he comes inside this time, dummies out of a first challenge then shoots and hits the next defender who blocks the effort on the edge of the box.

Cody Gakpo has set up on the left side for Liverpool and is fed into a bit of space. He drives up to the box and squares a pass towards Luis Diaz in the centre.

Alejandro Grimaldo cuts into the box from his position as left wingback and hooks the ball clear.

Leverkusen kick off the match and send the ball over to the left side of the pitch. A forward pass is too heavy and skips safely through to Caoimhin Kelleher.

The players make their way out onto the pitch at Anfield. Virgil van Dijk leads out the Reds with a determined look on his face. He knows this will be a battle but one that Liverpool can win.

Xabi Alonso played 210 times during a five-year spell at Liverpool from 2004 to 2009. He scored 19 goals for the club, including one in the 2005 Champions League final win against AC Milan.

This is Alonso’s first time back at Anfield for a competitive fixture. His Leverkusen side have not lost in their last 32 matches as the away team, winning 24 and drawing eight.

Bayer Leverkusen have totalled seven points in their first three matches of the league phase, with wins over Feyenoord and AC Milan followed by a draw with Brest.

Last season, Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title for the first time in their history and in doing so became the first team ever to go through the league campaign unbeaten.