Luis Diaz eases Liverpool’s Salah reliance as Quadruple quest continues with Brighton win

As Brighton & Hove Albion began the higher group on this Premier League fixture on a sunny however brisk afternoon at Amex Stadium, Luis Diaz misplaced the ball in a powerful deal with earlier than Tariq Lamptey and Solly March scampered off to assault Liverpool‘s left flank.

The problem occurred proper in entrance of Jurgen Klopp however fairly than berate referee Mike Dean — questioning the officiating would come later, as soon as his aspect had secured a 2-0 win — the Liverpool boss centered as an alternative on a light rebuke of Diaz, urging him to indicate extra battle and chase after the Brighton duo.

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Diaz heeded that recommendation after which some; lower than 10 minutes later, he confirmed super bravery to burst by means of Brighton’s defence and meet Joel Matip‘s fantastically lofted through-ball with a pointy header milliseconds earlier than being poleaxed by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Because the 25-year-old lay stricken on the turf, VAR checked the collision however the crimson card for Sanchez many anticipated didn’t materalise. He wasn’t even booked; it was a problem which set Klopp off after the sport down a well-recognized path describing the phrase “clear and apparent” as a “actual downside” and a “good instance of the problems we’ve” in figuring out when VAR intervenes.

“All people requested me as we speak — I did not begin the dialog — about if it’s a crimson card or not and if you happen to get these conditions you already know most individuals assume it was a crimson card,” he stated, earlier than asking: “If everyone thinks it was a crimson card, for what cause may it not be a crimson card?”

Diaz will arguably not get a greater instance of English soccer’s physicality, one thing it’s historically stated takes a number of months, and even longer, for abroad gamers to adapt to. But Diaz, a £37.5 million January signing from FC Porto, was thrown in on the deep finish instantly. With Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane engaged on the Africa Cup of Nations, the Colombia worldwide was not afforded a gradual introduction to assist him acclimatise.

Saturday’s outing on the south coast was Diaz’s 10th look within the six weeks since Liverpool swooped in to signal him simply as Tottenham believed they had been finalising a switch with Porto. Klopp had earmarked Diaz as a summer time signing however the membership had been pressured into shifting swiftly as Spurs held superior talks, and it may but show a decisive second in Liverpool season.

“He’s an excellent participant, let me say it like this,” Klopp stated. “We do not have teams in our group however we’ve a number of guys who communicate Spanish and Portuguese. That helps Luis so much, they take him beneath their wing. He is normally a very nice child.

“For the participant, we simply can say once we had been him … it’s not too simple to herald a participant within the winter with none form of preseason however Luis was attention-grabbing as a result of the way in which he performed at Porto is precisely the way in which we wished him to play right here. He nonetheless has to adapt, particularly defensively. However he can carry the ball fairly fast, his dribbling is just not dangerous. I do not assume we have seen already his full vary of capturing expertise. There’s a number of area for enchancment however he is an effective participant.”

Diaz has now began 5 of Liverpool’s six league matches since becoming a member of the membership, settling remarkably shortly into Klopp’s attacking triumvirate, as a lot for his willingness to work off the ball as his efficiency on it. Since making his league debut on Feb. 10, Diaz is joint-fifth for pictures at purpose (19), sixth for pictures on the right track (6) and joint-10th for possibilities created (11).

Diaz’s type can also be serving to to masks a slight however perceptible dip in Salah’s medical contact. The Egyptian scored his 20th league purpose of the season — Liverpool’s 2,000th within the Premier League — with a 61st-minute penalty that settled the match as a contest after Yves Bissouma dealt with Naby Keita‘s shot. But this was an event the place Salah’s lasting impression centred on the probabilities he missed fairly than the spot-kick he transformed.

The 29-year-old has rightly pressured his method into the dialog as to who’s at present the perfect participant on the planet, however that standing comes with heightened scrutiny of any profligacy in entrance of purpose, any drop within the exceptional requirements he has set.

After firing over from the sting of the field on the half-hour mark and being denied a trademark purpose following a jinking run with a sensible Sanchez save simply earlier than half-time, Salah went nearer nonetheless after the restart. Cleverly working area for a shot within the field, his 57th-minute effort deflected off Brighton defender Lewis Dunk and struck the crossbar earlier than he missed the perfect alternative of all barely 60 seconds later. Diaz surged ahead on the left and lower the ball again brilliantly into Salah’s path, arriving with time and area to plant a shot on his favoured left foot. He may solely drag the ball broad.

These can solely be thought-about minor criticisms, given how Salah continues to threaten with sustained regularity and Liverpool stay on observe of their pursuit of an unprecedented Quadruple. However it’s notably well timed — if not remotely deliberate — that Diaz has breathed contemporary life into their multi-fronted problem, even perhaps offering a bit of cowl to the continued delay in Salah committing his future to the membership with Klopp admitting this week that Liverpool “cannot do much more” in negotiations with his representatives.

Salah limped off with 25 minutes remaining right here and Klopp defined afterward he had “overstretched his foot” however “thinks he’ll be positive” with Arsenal subsequent up on Wednesday.

The considered Salah being absent for any time period would have sparked panic for Liverpool. Diaz has some approach to go to succeed in Salah’s degree, however his mere presence as of late is bolstering Klopp’s aspect no finish.