Private moment between Arne Slot and Xabi Alonso speaks volumes about Liverpool boss

As he came out for the second half on Tuesday, Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso gave the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign a quick tap. A memory evoked.

During his tenure, Jurgen Klopp had barred Liverpool players from touching the relic until they had won a trophy at the club. Alonso was more than qualified to do so given his Champions League and FA Cup successes with Liverpool.

He returned to Anfield an Invincible, having claimed the Bundesliga crown without losing a single league match at Leverkusen last campaign. Alonso never won the title at Liverpool, coming close in the 2008/09 season before moving to Real Madrid that summer.

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He went on to play for Bayern Munich, whom he dismantled as head coach during last season’s success at Leverkusen. The manager of the Bavarians that day is now England’s head coach.

Meanwhile, Alonso’s own return to these shores was only a quick trip. Earlier this summer, many would have backed him for a longer stay, as Liverpool boss, having initially been the favourite to succeed Klopp.

But the barely tangible sense of ‘what could have been’ on Tuesday is testament to the fantastic work Arne Slot has done so far. Supporters gave Alonso a warm reception when he walked out ahead of kick-off.

The 42-year-old has a deep connection with the city of Liverpool, the place where his first child was born. He was left crestfallen by full-time.

After a chess-match of a first-half, Liverpool turned the screw and powered in four goals to condemn Alonso to his joint-heaviest defeat as manager of Leverkusen, who are already seven points behind in the German title race this season.

Alonso dissolved all of the speculation linking him with Liverpool over the summer when he announced he had decided to stay put. Whether he had been the club’s first pick anyway is unclear but the Reds have undoubtedly made the right appointment call.

Tuesday’s win means Slot is now on a 12-game unbeaten run with just one defeat in his first 16 matches in charge. Liverpool top the Premier League and Champions League table as a result.

Towards the end of the match, the Kop sang his name using the chant Klopp conducted during his farewell ceremony. 'Ar-ne Slot. Nah nah, nah nah nah'.

"It was special from the start. And, therefore, I think I have to thank Jurgen because he was the one who came up with the song,” Slot modestly said after the game.

There was another touching moment involving the head coach a few minutes before his press conference. After conducting his broadcast interview duties, Slot bumped into Alonso in the mouth of the tunnel.

The pair held a brief chat about the game before embracing each other as Slot consoled Alonso on the defeat. It was Slot who instigated the conversation and made time for his counterpart.

It was important for Liverpool to find the right character as well as tactician to continue on from Klopp, and it was why the Dutch coach was headhunted by the hierarchy. Slot is not only emulating his predecessor but building on his work.

Fans will never know whether Alonso would have made the same strides Slot has made. But the man who was appointed is showing his class both on and off the pitch, proving that Liverpool have pulled off an incredible transition.