Editor’s Column: Can Luis Diaz imitate Sadio Mane’s final season in Red?

When Luis Diaz arrived at Liverpool, he was initially introduced as an impact sub on the left wing.

He was electric. Genuinely one of the most exciting starts to a Liverpool career I’ve ever seen. He oozed confidence on the ball. Demanded people passed to him. Produced endless flicks and tricks – and repeatedly did things without looking – which was as unnecessary as it was enjoyable!

So good was Diaz that Jurgen Klopp decided he simply had to start. As a result, the Colombian took Sadio Mane’s place on the left wing and the Senegalese moved central to play as a no.9, with Roberto Firmino being used as an impact sub.

It worked. Liverpool won both domestic cups and were two games away from the quadruple. We only saw it for half a season, but Diaz was magic on the left and Mane scored goals in the middle.

Now in 2024/25, we might have a similar predicament/opportunity. Diaz is doing a great job on the left after an up and down season last time out – largely because of personal circumstances and a bad injury. He’s scoring goals and is potentially in his best ever form since joining from FC Porto – given his end product has improved.

But like he did to Mane in his first season, Cody Gakpo is right behind Diaz and playing equally as exceptionally in his cameos.

The Dutchman has been mesmeric; our best attacker away to AC Milan and at home to West Ham in the EFL Cup. Right now, our three best forwards are Mo Salah, Diaz and Gakpo.

Gakpo is far better on the left, so could Diaz move to the middle to accommodate him sometimes?

Diaz can hold a ball up. He can run in behind. He can finish and has actually scored a few with his head, too. It might have legs, especially with Diogo Jota consistently picking up small injuries and Arne Slot not yet entirely trusting Darwin Nunez.

Jota and Nunez will still get minutes centrally of course. They deserve them, but with six attackers, including Fede Chiesa, Slot may wish to experiment with getting the most in-form players on the pitch, especially with our brutal run of fixtures coming up after the international break.

Signing Chiesa was smart. He doesn’t expect to start, but we’re going to need him in this crazy run. Salah cannot play every game and there are no other players in the squad who should play right-wing.

Slot’s decision to play Gakpo as a left-winger was also smart. It feels crazy he was used as a striker or a no.8, now. He suits the left perfectly. He dribbles, cuts in and shoots with so much power. No wonder he struggled last season.

The attackers have all scored or assisted already and there isn’t another attacking force in the country I’d swap ours for, bar perhaps Manchester City’s. And that’s only because of their cyborg striker up top.

Liverpool also need to find a way to get Dom Szoboszlai linking with the attackers better. He isn’t a problem in the side, as the work he does off the ball is amazing – but he has struggled to play the right pass recently and is attacking without confidence.

Harvey Elliott would be mighty handy, but the Englishman is crocked and will benefit from two weeks more rehab in the international break. Hopefully he can be an option sooner rather than later.

 

 

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