LUIS FULL OF RAZZLE DIAZZLE
Klopp: A wonderful goal... to get in there with his head was really brave
BRAVE Luis Diaz almost had his head kicked in while using it to keep Liverpool’s title dream alive.
And that courage earned the £37.5million ace some serious postmatch praise from boss Jurgen Klopp.
Diaz took a vicious Robert Sanchez clattering in the chops for his troubles as he put the Merseysiders in front before Mo Salah’s penalty sealed a vital eighth league win on the spin for them.
Klopp, whose Quadruple-chasers now sit three points behind Manchester City, beamed: “It was a wonderful goal. He did what a striker had to do. To get in there with his head was really brave.
Luiz the boy has settled in as quickly as the player. He has speed, his dribbling is not bad. But we haven’t seen the full range of his finishing yet. There’s lots of space for improvement.
“I haven’t seen the goal back again. People tell me it could have been a red card for the keeper, but it’s about being clear and obvious. That’s the problem phrase.
“We deserved three points – that’s all I’m interested in.”
Opposite number Graham Potter admitted five straight defeats is hard to stomach, but knows it happens among the elite.
The Seagulls supremo said: “It’s not a happy camp when you lose, but the Premier League can be difficult. We need to do better.”
This trip to the Amex was not as straightforward for Klopp’s troops as the scoreline suggests.
Without a win here since Boxing Day, Potter was way more animated than usual on the touchline. He wanted a fast start. He got it.
Albion, sporting their yellow-and-blue away strip in support of Ukraine, produced the first effort after six minutes when Neal Maupay’s 20-yard drive had Alisson scrambling – and
d to watch it fly inches wide. was clapping in delight. But just utes later, his mood nosedived.
only their second attack, the ent ahead. It looked simple, with ver the top for Diaz to nod in. eality was very different. lipped ball from Premier League of the month Joel Matip was and defence-splitting.
Diaz finish also looked easy – om the threat of having his head ff by Sanchez’s late high boot. nately, there was no lasting for the Reds’ January signing. hez was equally lucky to escape ed-card intervention. he ball not nestled in the net, he ell have been sent packing by
Stockley Park man Stuart Attwell. If Liverpool were not too bothered with that decision, they were with one two minutes before half-time as Salah was shoved in the box by Yves Bissouma.
The Egyptian shot weakly as a consequence, but ref Mike Dean waved play on – to the fury of the Reds bench.
Liverpool’s need for a two-goal cushion became evident just after the break when Leandro Trossard wasted a glorious chance to level, firing over from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.
It was a timely warning for the Reds, who could have been three up after Salah hit the bar and then drove wide.
A case of third time lucky, then, when the top flight’s top scorer slammed in the 60th-minute penalty awarded after
Naby Keita’s drive was blocked by Bissouma’s waving arm.
It was Salah’s 20th goal of this league campaign and Liverpool’s 2,000th in Premier League history.
Moments later, the marksman was getting a Klopp hug after being subbed with a slight knock.
His work was done here, anyway. Best save the goal king for another date – namely this Wednesday and Arsenal.
Instead, it was left to Alisson at the other end to ensure a clean sheet, with three fine stops at the death.