Xabi Alonso channelled his inner Jurgen Klopp with his celebration after Bayer Leverkusen hammered Bayern Munich to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Bayer recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over the defending German champions, with Josip Stanisic, Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong all scoring.
After the match, goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky ushered Xabi Alonso over to the home supporters and the Spaniard duly obliged, also taking his backroom staff with him to soak up the applause.
š© After beating Bayern, Xabi Alonso didnāt want to get honored alone by the fansā¦ā¦and he wanted his entire staff on the pitch in front of the fans.pic.twitter.com/zBDnucCTVf
Alonso is the bookmakersā favourite to take over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool in the summer, and fans of the Anfield club will have enjoyed seeing that reaction from Alonso having become accustomed to having a brilliant relationship with their teamās manager during Kloppās time on Merseyside.
Klopp said he loves āeverything about our supportersā in his departure announcement in January, and Liverpool fans will be hoping for a similar relationship with the Germanās successor.
Speaking after news of Kloppās impending departure emerged in January, Alonso was asked about the prospect of replacing him in the Redsā dugout.
āI have huge respect for Jurgen and Liverpool,ā Alonso said. āAt the moment I am really happy here and enjoying my work. Each day and game is a challenge. We are in an intense and beautiful journey here at Leverkusen.
āSpeculation is normal, but I have great respect and admiration for what Jurgen has done at Liverpool in the last nine years, and how heās done it. He has a connection with the fans, heās done a great job, but my focus is here at Bayer Leverkusen.
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āI have great motivation to do a good job here, Iām very happy with the team, with the club, with everything, so thatās my focus.Ā ā
Liam has 10 years' experience in journalism, having previously operated as the Manchester Evening News' associate football editor, and as an editor for the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and the Daily Star.