Jürgen Klopp likes to be able to recall a key Liverpool weapon, and Manchester United's Antony helps underline how important that is.
For Liverpool winger Luis Díaz, it was a torturous year.
Díaz was initially sidelined between mid-October to December because of a knee problem but then suffered a crushing defeat at the club's training camp in Dubai, leaving him sidelined until the end of the season. spring.
He finally returned with 10 minutes of official game time remaining in the 6-1 win over Leeds United on 17 April, and he entered the same match in the win over Nottingham Forest on Last week later.
Díaz then sped up again with a 30-minute win over West Ham, proving to Jürgen Klopp that he was ready to play for the first time in nearly seven months against Spurs on Sunday. The Colombian was limited to an hour of play, being drawn for Diogo Jota in a change that could be determined in advance, but he remained one of the best performing players on his side.
Within five minutes, he was back between goals, making a predatory move over the post to meet Cody Gakpo's tackle and beat Fraser Forster with an impromptu finish. Her celebration, unsurprisingly, looks like a moment of purification.
The Colombian could also have provided an assist, as Mohamed Salah cushioned the ball just after being sent off.
When he was substituted, there was a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd, who were not only amused by his goal but also by his lightning technical moves, including a puncture. grid Oliver Skipp . Indeed, the table below shows how threatening he is to Spurs.
The rank is consistent with the volume of data
2nd 8 attempt at attack
Successful turn 5 1
Progressive Transport Distance (m) 121 3
Pass in the last third 5 1
One of the most impressive things about Díaz's recent substitute appearances and return to the starting XI against Spurs is the lack of any noticeable ill effects due to long-term injuries.
He moved freely, beating defenders with his acceleration and subtle changes of direction. Of course, although he is yet to return to his absolute best, he has established himself as Liverpool's most dynamic ball carrier and biggest one-on-one threat.
Díaz was perhaps the team's best player with a poor start to the season, scoring five goals in his first 10 league appearances. Sign up for our EXCLUSIVE Liverpool.com newsletter!
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Indeed, his numbers are impressive when on the pitch, with an average of one goal or assist every 136 minutes.
He even surpassed Manchester United's $106m (£85m/€97m) winger Antony in total contributions in almost half a minute.
It looks like he will also add to that list in the final five games of the season, after having effectively resumed where he left off. Díaz's return has shown Klopp what he's been missing for most of the season, and you wonder how close the Reds will get to the top four if he's fit.
But at the same time, he's also giving fans reason to get excited for the 2023/24 season, which will hopefully be his first full and interrupted season as a Liverpool player.
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