Diaz takes the hit to keep Klopp on City’s heels
Colombian courage as Reds make it eight wins on spin
FOR all the talent at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp demands courage as well. His latest signing Luis Diaz passed the test with flying colours, albeit painfully.
The £37million Colombian is feted for blistering pace and quick feet. Yet we saw the other side at Brighton yesterday, putting himself in danger to score the key opening goal after 19 minutes with the bravest of headers.
Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez did not stop as he rushed out to charge his opponent and caught the Liverpool player in the chest with a high boot and the side of his head with a flailing arm.
Instead of wheeling away to celebrate his first away goal for his new club, Diaz crumpled to the floor and was surrounded by anxious team-mates until treatment had finished and he was able to continue.
Sanchez was not punished with a red card despite a VAR check but that was controversial. In the TV studio, Peter Crouch said: ‘It’s 100 per cent a sending-off for me. He [Diaz] could have been seriously injured there.’
For older fans it was reminiscent — though milder — of a notorious assault by Germany goalkeeper Toni Schumacher on France’s Patrick Battiston at the 1982 World Cup.
What is certain is that Diaz’s goal was the key moment of the game. Brighton had dominated the early stages and could have scored themselves through Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay.
But once Liverpool went in front, there was little doubt they would go on to record their eighth consecutive Premier League win and move back within three points of leaders Manchester City — the gap having been 14 in mid-January.
The only downside was Mohamed Salah being substituted as a precaution soon after he had thumped home his 20th league goal of the season, from the penalty spot after an hour. It appeared Salah had struck his kick so powerfully, he had strained his left calf.
Brighton were something of a bogey side for Liverpool, having not lost to Klopp’s team in their previous three games. But Graham Potter’s side are not in the best of form at the moment, and have now lost five on the bounce.
They still weaved pretty patterns but lack a goal threat and their energetic full-back Tariq Lamptey was surprised to see Diaz chase back and harry him whenever he tried to bomb forward.
Liverpool made a sluggish start yet still had the quality to take the lead with devastating simplicity.
Joel Matip’s pass split the Brighton defence and Diaz raced beyond Joel Veltman and nodded past Sanchez as the ball bounced up off the turf
— just before the two collided at high impact. There was relief when Diaz was able to continue — and
Liverpool shifted the momentum in their favour.
Sanchez saved twice from
Sadio
Mane and then narrowed the angle to block Salah after he had raced clear of
Yves Bissouma in a sharp counter-attack.
Potter introduced former Liverpool player Adam Lallana at half-time but he lasted only eight minutes before he had to disappear with a hamstring problem.
By that time, Brighton had missed their best chance of an equaliser — Trossard blazing over from eight yards when he needed more composure — and from then onwards their belief dwindled.
Salah’s personal mission to score saw him hit the crossbar via Lewis Dunk’s deflection, then badly drag a shot wide from
Diaz’s set-up.
But the Golden Boot leader did not waste his opportunity from the spot after 61 minutes. Naby Keita’s shot was blocked by Bissouma’s hand and Salah put all his pent-up frustration into leathering the penalty down the middle as Sanchez dived out the way.
Maybe Salah hit it too hard, because five minutes later he went off pointing to where his left leg was hurting.
‘He overstretched his foot but Mo is not too concerned,’ said Klopp.
Brighton sent on their final change, Danny Welbeck for Bissouma, but the home side still complained about not getting many decisions from referee Mike Dean, who was booed mercilessly at the final whistle.
Even the normally mild-mannered Potter expressed his displeasure when Alisson was judged not to have carried the ball out of his penalty area.
Liverpool could have extended their lead in the closing stages when Diaz was foiled by Sanchez one-on-one, while Alisson kept his clean sheet with a good tip-over from Welbeck.
Klopp knows in signing Diaz he has got a player with heart as well as ability. ‘He did what a striker had to do. To get in there with his head, it was really brave,’ said the Liverpool manager. ‘We had our chances, we had massive counter-attacks that we didn’t use, but it’s fine. I’m really not overly critical with the boys. I think we deserved it, to win the game and that’s all I ask for. I am happy.’
Reds skipper Jordan Henderson was not howling for a Sanchez red card but acknowledged it could have been given. ‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘He’s obviously late but Luis has done so well to get there first.
‘It was an important goal; a big performance from him and the team.’
BRIGHTON (4-1-4-1): Sanchez 6; Lamptey 6, Veltman 5.5, Dunk 6.5, Cucurella 7; Bissouma 6 (Welbeck 66min, 6); March 6.5, Mac Allister 6, Alzate 5.5 (Lallana 45, Gross 53, 6), Trossard 5.5; Maupay 6. Booked:
Bissouma, Mac Allister, Maupay. Subs (not used): Steele, McGill,
Duffy, Mwepu, Moder, Leonard.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson 6.5; Alexander-Arnold 7, Matip 8, Van
Dijk 7, Robertson 7; Keita 7 (Thiago 65, 6), Fabinho 6.5, Henderson 7 (Milner 86); Salah 6.5 (Jota 65, 6), Mane 6.5, Diaz 7.5. Booked: Fabinho. Subs (not used): Kelleher, Milner, Tsimikas, Gomez, Jones, Elliott, Firmino. Referee: M Dean (Wirral) 6.5.