Luis Diaz looked a player ready-made for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool when he came on in the second-half against Cardiff City and played a pivotal role in Taki Minamino’s goal.
Nonetheless, he remains a player with flaws to overcome – chief amongst them his ability to shine in one of the most physical leagues in world football, as noted by Carlos Aleman.
“I do think that’s one area where he has to improve but he’s capable of doing it,” the reporter told The Athletic.
“He’s fast but he can look fragile at times against big defenders. It’s going to be challenging for him in the Premier League.
“But he’s constantly evolving as a player. People asked questions about whether he joined Junior and then when he went to Porto.”
The 25-year-old was the victim of some big tackles in the final 45 minutes of the 3-1 FA Cup win over the Bluebirds, with the German head coach laughing off the matter after the game.
Given the forward’s astronomical rise in the Portuguese top-flight in the space of a year, however, we wouldn’t put it past our No.23 to fully adapt to the challenges of English football quickly enough.
If he can manage that, there’ll be few other obstacles in his way to making a name for himself in the Premier League.
Certainly, we’ve already seen more than a glimpse of Diaz’s suitability for this Liverpool side, which can only bode well for our chances of securing silverware this term.
#Ep33 of The Red Nets Podcast: Diaz’s debut, Elliott’s return, Mane to La Liga?… and more!