"This lad looked a bit special" - Garth Crooks lauds Liverpool attacker for showing 'immense bravery' against Brighton
Garth Crooks has hailed Liverpool forward Luis Diaz for the bravery he showed to score against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League at the weekend.
The Reds registered a 2-0 victory over the Seagulls at the Amex Stadium on Sunday. Diaz opened the scoring for Jurgen Klopp's side, while Mohamed Salah sealed the game with a second-half penalty.
While Salah scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season, it was Diaz who impressed the fans more. The Colombia international was even named the fans' Player of the Match for his performance against Brighton.
Another special performance from @LuisFDiaz19 👏
He's your @Carlsberg Player of the Match from #BHALIV 🤩 https://t.co/xI2h9Kii2z
The 25-year-old timed his run perfectly and got on the end of a lovely pass from Joel Matip before nodding the ball home. Although Diaz was brought down by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the process, he gave his side the breakthrough in the game.
Crooks was impressed with the courage the forward showed on Sunday afternoon. The former Tottenham Hotspur star also hailed Diaz as a 'special' player. He wrote in his BBC Sport column:
"I said after the Carabao Cup final that this lad looked a bit special and he continued to prove the point at Brighton. The way the player has slotted into the Liverpool setup in just a couple of months you could be forgiven for thinking he has been there all his life. Fortunately for Diaz he escaped serious injury, having shown immense bravery, after what can only be described as the most diabolical challenge by Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez."
Crooks also feels Sanchez should have been sent off for his challenge on Diaz. He was unhappy that referee Mike Dean chose not to show the red card to the Spaniard. He wrote:
"How Mike Dean, a referee who seems to take pride in holding the record number of sendings off, inexplicably allowed Sanchez to remain on the pitch only compounds my theory that he knows everything about the rules but cannot distinguish between what is reckless and what is not."
We need to have a chat about Luis Diaz:
- A monster for Liverpool so far. A nightmare for defenders and looks dangerous every time he's on the ball
- Needed no time to settle in. Been at the club for less than two months and looks like he's been there for years
Scary player 🔥 https://t.co/JgQk7YQu15
Diaz played the full 90 minutes against Brighton on Sunday. It remains to be seen if he will keep his place in the team when Liverpool face Arsenal in the league on Wednesday.
Luis Diaz has settled in well at Liverpool
The Reds signed Luis Diaz from FC Porto for a deal worth up to £50m in January. Jurgen Klopp's side fend off competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the Colombian's signature.
Diaz has since settled in well at the Merseyside-based club. He has made ten appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, while scoring two goals in the process.