I watched Xabi Alonso prove he is the real deal as Liverpool sent clear Jurgen Klopp message

Xabi Alonso is the bookies' favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and after Saturday's 3-0 win over Bayern Munich, you can see why.

Succeeding the German at Anfield is a daunting task and make no mistake that Alonso's success so far in the Bundesliga offers no guarantee that he would enjoy even half of the success Klopp has. There also must be question marks over Alonso's experience at the very highest level; having only been coaching in senior football since October 2022.

But with Leverkusen still unbeaten in all competitions this season, the Spaniard's work at Leverkusen has to be marvelled at and dethroning serial champions Bayern would only increase the clammer for his arrival on Merseyside. After all, the parallels with Klopp are beginning to feel eerily familiar.

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The high-pressing and flying full-backs on display at the BayArena offer similarities to the football so often displayed at Anfield over the past decade. And who were the last team to deny Bayern the Bundesliga title? Klopp's Borrusia Dortmund team in 2012.

If Liverpool want evolution rather than revolution when their legendary manager departs in the summer, then Alonso is beginning to look like the perfect fit. There is still a long way to go in the campaign for Leverkusen and it remains to be seen whether their fight on three fronts (league, cup and Europe) will catch up with them.

However, Alonso's work in Germany is beginning to make him the clear and obvious choice to succeed Klopp. Leverkusen now sit five points clear at the top of the table with 13 league games left