Liverpool were supposed to collapse when Jurgen Klopp left. Like a house of cards. Rivals wanted the Reds cast back into the depths of mediocrity after their prosperous period. Liverpool had had their heyday, and it was time for some new blood to challenge indomitable Manchester City.
How wrong they were. To be fair, Liverpool’s own fanbase has been flummoxed by the ridiculous football being played under Arne Slot’s management. Four points clear at the pole of the Premier League at Christmas – and with a game in hand too.
Tottenham Hotspur have been hailed for their entertaining football. Ange Postecoglou knows how to raise the volume from the dugout. The problem for those of a Spurs persuasion is he doesn’t really control which area of the crowd that noise will come from.
Liverpool pounced on Tottenham’s chaos and won 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. It was beautiful, beguiling, brilliant. The forwards were in full swing.
Mohamed Salah was the main man – no surprises there – but Luis Diaz returned to Premier League form brilliantly with a two-goal performance down N17.
Luis Diaz's striking success
Diaz, 27, assumed the centre-forward spot at Tottenham with Diogo Jota being managed after a long injury and Darwin Nunez’s inconsistency convincing Slot that he needed to be benched.
Diaz isn’t a natural striker but his movements and trickiness make him a slippery customer with Cody Gakpo and Salah flanking. If you can only say one thing for Slot, you’d have to praise his tactical brilliance.
As per Sofascore, Diaz complemented his two-goal return with two key passes and success in his one attempted dribble. He’s dynamic and difficult to defend against, but not the solution at number nine in the long run.
Liverpool eyeing new forward
Liverpool will need to consider a new striker in several months, for Nunez has only scored four goals across 22 outings in 2024/25 and Jota, as stated, cannot be trusted on the fitness front.
Transfer Focus
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As per Football Insider, FSG have found their dream solution in Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro. The 23-year-old has been excellent since arriving on the south coast in 2023 and is also catching Arsenal’s eye.
Liverpool’s recruitment team are understood to have discussed Joao Pedro in recent transfer conversations, and it may well be that he is right at the top of the shopping list, with a bid now being plotted.
However, the Seagulls are no pushovers and will look to collect £60m for their talisman’s departure, but on the basis of the evidence, his arrival would be worth the financial blow.
Why Joao Pedro could be better than Luis Diaz
Diaz is wonderfully electric, but the problem with his energy is that it can’t be channelled into something fluent and even. Instead, it’s bumpy and slanted, leaving Liverpool with a world-class talent prone to lapses.
Before his north London brace, the Colombian had gone three months – ten fixtures – since a top-flight goal, but then with 11 strikes from 23 matches across all competitions, he’s hardly flattering to deceive.
Even so, Brighton’s South American star has the quality to take his place when the time comes. Indeed, Diaz’s tentative contract discussions with Liverpool over a new contract have reportedly provided no fruit so far, with the respective parties believed to have ‘disagreements’.
Barcelona are long-time admirers and it feels like next summer could be the perfect time to cash in while the 27-year-old’s stock is high.
Joao Pedro must be his replacement, already a potent force. As per FBref, Joao Pedro ranks among the top 11% of Premier League forwards this season for goals scored, the top 16% for assists and the top 12% for aerial battles won per 90, emphasising not only his potency but his physicality too.
He’s scored four goals and assisted three more from just 11 Premier League games (nine starts). Last season, he notched 20 strikes from 44 matches across all competitions, impressing after his £30m transfer from Watford.
Diaz is a showman, one of the league’s great entertainers, but Pedro also carries that special something that raises roofs. He has recently been described as a “really magical” player by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard.
Matches (starts)
16 (11)
11 (9)
Goals
7
4
Assists
2
3
Touches*
32.9
40.1
Shots (on target)
1.9 (0.9)
1.6 (0.6)
Pass completion
86%
76%
Key passes*
1.3
1.2
Dribble (success)*
1.3 (47%)
1.3 (47%)
Tackles + interceptions*
1.0
1.1
Total duels (won)*
3.3 (38%)
5.0 (52%)
The fact is that Pedro is already producing performances that carry underlying data that outdoes that of Diaz. Liverpool’s winger slash forward doesn’t actually produce the highest output concerning his ball-carrying and ball-playing, hitting a similar vein of creativity and failing to match Brighton’s man in terms of combativeness and defensive strength.
Let’s not forget that the Brighton attacker is only 23, and while he would cost a pretty penny to bring to Anfield, Liverpool would be investing in a talent capable of hitting stratospheric heights across the seasons to come.
Ultimately, Liverpool are going to need to address their problem at number nine, with Nunez unable to prove his composure and clinical edge thus far and Diaz probably not the long-term solution.
Diaz is a first-rate player, but he’s prone to blips and is most naturally effective as a left winger anyway.
In Pedro, Liverpool would secure an upgrade in the striker’s seat while bolstering their left flank too, given that the Brazilian has played ample football on the wing.
Slot has taken Klopp’s gifted group of players and sharpened them to a fine attacking point. Brighton’s main man would only go from strength to strength on Merseyside, and FSG need to make it happen.
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