Anfield Watch
·22 November 2024
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Yahoo sportsAnfield Watch
·22 November 2024
Liverpool have been in fine form since the start of the season, and Arne Slot seems to have adjusted very well to life in the Premier League.
The Reds are top of the table and look genuinely ready to compete at the highest level, something not many expected at the start of the season.
Huge games against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and Manchester City in the league are fast approaching, but first the Reds must travel to St Mary’s to take on Southampton.
Slot’s side already have a five-point cushion at the top of the table, but winning against the Saints is absolutely essential with the match against City looming seven days after.
Slot has had great success when it comes to getting his forwards firing this season, and Liverpool have racked up some big score lines as a result.
Arguably the most impressive result of the season came against Bayer Leverkusen, who won a league and cup double whilst going invincible.
Liverpool put four past Leverkusen without reply and that match has provided the blueprint for how the Reds can take the Saints apart.
Luis Diaz was the man of the moment against Leverkusen, scoring his first hat-trick for Liverpool, and it was also the first time we have seen the Colombian play through the middle under Slot.
The experiment was undoubtedly a success and deploying Diaz through the middle could be devastating against Southampton.
Diaz looked incredibly impressive when he was played through the middle against Leverkusen, and the forward is an expert dribbler.
This is something Southampton’s defence are not equipped to deal with.
The Saints’ centre backs Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens both only win roughly 33% of their tackles and Diaz is a very accomplished dribbler.
This is an obvious mismatch, and Diaz could be incredibly dangerous through the middle for the Reds against Southampton.
The Saints also prefer to play a patient style of football, building up from the back, and this leaves them open to the opponent winning the ball high up the pitch.
If Diaz can get the ball high up the pitch and take on Bednarek and Stephens, he is going to cause problems.
Liverpool supporters will be hoping for more of the same when the Reds take on Southampton on Sunday, and Luis Diaz could be the man to deliver once again.
He will be even more eager to deliver after coming under fire and receiving some criticism back home in Colombia for his performances in the national team.