"Ridiculous how overrated this guy is" "Recency bias is killing football" - Rival fans fume as Liverpool's Luis Diaz gets greatest January signing of all time shouts
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz has come under scrutiny for the rave reviews he has been getting since joining the Reds in January.
The Colombia international put out a star showing after coming on at half-time against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals second leg on Tuesday. He scored a goal as Jurgen Klopp's side won 3-2 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
He won the Man of the Match award as fans on social media labelled him the best January transfer in history. However, others pointed out that Diaz hasn't done enough to warrant the lofty claim.
Here are some of those reactions on Twitter:
Luis Diaz has been nothing short of impressive since joining Liverpool from Porto in January. The former Atletico Junior man has adapted to Jurgen Klopp's tactics and has won fans with his energetic work rate and willingness to fight for the team's cause. He has bagged seven goals and three assists for the Reds thus far.
However, it's early days to proclaim him the best January signing on his displays in four months. Nevertheless, the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Nemanja Vidic, Luis Suarez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Virgil van Dijk and Patrice Evra became legends at their respective clubs after arriving in January. So Diaz is in good company.
Luis Diaz' introduction helped Liverpool reach third UEFA Champions League final in five years
Liverpool travelled to the Ceramica Stadium, holding a healthy two-goal advantage over their Spanish opponents in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
However, manager Jurgen Klopp went to great lengths to suggest the tie was not over. Unai Emery's side proved him right when they took the lead inside the opening three minutes. They drew level on aggregate four minutes before the break and had Liverpool rattled in a first half that was totally controlled by the Yellow Submarines.
However, the tide turned in the visitors' favour when Diaz was introduced at the break in place of Diogo Jota. The Colombian's impact was immediate, and there was a noticeable increase in the tempo of Reds' attack.
Diaz scored the equalising goal on the night in an eventual 3-2 victory for his side, and his efforts saw him named the 'Man of the Match'. The Reds have started focusing on developing the next generation, and Diaz has shown that he could play a key role in helping the club continue their dominance.