‘He’s been the only one’ – Journalist absolves £55k-p/w Liverpool player on dismal derby night
On a night when only victory would suffice after Arsenal’s Tuesday thumping of Chelsea, Liverpool unfortunately froze in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The Reds had their chances against Everton but, in keeping with how most of April has gone, squandered them without ever truly threatening Jordan Pickford’s goal.
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However, one man who came close was Luis Diaz, who burst into the Toffees’ penalty area and unleashed a strike which smacked off the far post and back out.
The Liverpool Echo’s Paul Gorst was providing updates on the match via X, and he noted of that unlucky moment for the £55,000-per-week Colombian: “Diaz strikes inside of the post. Deserved better, he’s been the only one who has been at the right level tonight.”
Diaz strikes inside of the post. Deserved better, he's been the only one who has been at the right level tonight.
— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) April 24, 2024
READ MORE: Gary Neville critical of Liverpool duo who ‘need to get a grip’ in Merseyside derby
Gorst is right – Diaz was the solitary Liverpool player who looked like conjuring something for his team on a dismal derby night.
While Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez were culpable of misses to make you wince during the first half, at least the Reds’ number 7 had Pickford and Everton frightened with that rasping drive which so nearly offered his team a route back into the game with 20 minutes to go.
He did threaten at times with some dangerous runs along the left flank, whereas his two fellow forwards were nowhere near their best on a night when Jurgen Klopp badly needed them to be.
The postmortem from this derby defeat will be unforgiving for the most part, but if there’s one Liverpool player who comes out from it with credit, it’s Diaz.
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