Liverpool forward Luis Diaz

Connor Burgess

Mon 26 August 2024 18:00, UK

Luis Diaz pulled the strings for Liverpool in the 2-0 win against Brentford on Sunday [25 August].

Arne Slot continued his excellent start to life with the Reds winning his first Premier League match at Anfield thanks to the Colombian.

Diaz looked like a man possessed at Anfield, he opened the scoring after a quick counter-attack with Diogo Jota early in the first half and capped off his performance by assisting Mohammed Salah to put the tie to bed in the second half.

The 27-year-old suffered an underwhelming campaign for Jurgen Klopp last season but seems determined to prove the doubters wrong under Slot this year in what will be a vital season for his Liverpool future.

Luis Diaz is a different beast for Liverpool

Earlier in the summer when reports emerged that the Reds had approached Newcastle United for Anthony Gordon [Daily Mail], opinion was split among the fanbase on whether the Scouser would be an upgrade on their current attacking options.

Diaz, alongside Darwin Nunez, became the scapegoat last season as Liverpool squandered their title aspirations, crashed out of all cup competitions, and sparked debate about whether this summer was the right time to move on amid the interest in Gordon.

That move has cooled off since Newcastle satisfied the league’s Profit and Sustainability rules through other player sales and, with four days left until the transfer deadline a move seems unlikely to be revived and Diaz to remain on Merseyside.

The winger is proving his worth to Slot this season and his performance against Brentford highlights how important he will be for the Reds moving forward.

He was a cut above the rest on the day and his one goal and one assist ultimately rewarded the Reds with the three points at Anfield.

Diaz completed 100 per cent of his 27 passes, made four key passes creating one big chance for the second goal, and won 60 per cent of his ground duels in a busy afternoon for the forward [Sofascore].

Slot’s pass-heavy style is having a positive effect on his Liverpool side, the Reds look a lot more comfortable in possession and the quick transitions from defence to attack are reminiscent of Klopp’s early days at Anfield.

With a pass accuracy of 84.2 per cent, putting him in the top 93 percentile in the Premier League [FBref] alongside his 56 passes for the top 74 percentile, the Colombian is becoming more effective in the build-up play [Fotmob].

Luis Diaz is the perfect forward for Arne Slot at Liverpool

However, Diaz is most effective with the ball at his feet when running at the opposition, his flair and ability to beat his defender are what had adhered him to the Liverpool faithful and coincidently is exactly what Slot looks for from his wingers.

His six successful dribbles this season are in the top 91.4 percentile and his 75 per cent dribble completion rate is in the 93.1 percentile.

Diaz is also in the 94 percentile for touches in the opposition area averaging 7.36 per match and the 90 percentile for shot-creating actions with 5.46 per 90 minutes [FBref].

The frustration for Liverpool fans last term was not Diaz’s ability to get into goal-scoring positions but his ability to convert chances that ultimately cost his side points most notably in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City at Anfield.

Once the Colombian finds his scoring boots at Anfield he will light up the Premier League, he has started well this season and Slot will be hoping he carries this throughout the campaign.

In other Liverpool news, the Reds are set to avoid Marc Guehi deal with money earmarked for a different transfer – Dan Bardell.

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