Fulham’s Timothy Castagne has come up against the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Marcus Rashford in this Premier League season but highlighted Liverpool winger Luis Diaz as one of his toughest opponents.
While Fulham found themselves on the winning side against both Arsenal and Manchester United – the £13 million summer signing from Leicester City helping shut down Martinelli and Rashford during a pair of coupon-busting victories – there was to be no such joy for Castagne’s Cottagers against Liverpool.
Luis Diaz has gone head-to-head with the Belgium international three times so far in 2023/24.
And while the Liverpool wideman has only found the net in one of those games – during the second-leg of the EFL Cup semi-final second leg – Castagne will certainly not be looking forward to Liverpool’s arrival at Craven Cottage in late-April.
Luis Diaz has had a great season for Liverpool
“I had the most work (trying to stop) Luis Diaz from Liverpool,” Castagne tells Het Nieuwsblad, while also highlighting the threat of another Prem winger so good at dribbling he literally wrote the thesis on it.
“And (Kaoru) Mitoma from Brighton. But it is tactically a little less strict here, which sometimes means there is more space (for wingers to cause problems).
“Italy (where Castagne played for Atalanta) is much more tactics-based.”
Luis Diaz may lack the remarkable consistency of Mo Salah but, when fit and on form, there aren’t many more fearsome forwards in English football. Diaz, with his rapid-fire footwork and his ability to generate power-packed shots with barely any warning, provided goal contributions in five successive Premier League games during January and February.
Still some things to improve upon
Last week’s enthralling 1-1 draw with rivals Manchester City shone a harsh light on the areas the one-time Everton and Tottenham Hotspur target must still improve, however, Diaz causing no end of problems to Pep Guardiola’s backline but missing the chance to land a huge blow in the title race.
“There was that period, wasn’t there, of about five minutes where Liverpool had those four or five shots on goal where (they) should have scored and should have gone and got the second,” Gary Neville said on his podcast. “And Diaz was just scruffy.
“As brilliant as he was and as energetic as he was, he was scruffy with his final bit.”
Fulham face Tottenham Hotspur today while Diaz’s Liverpool travel to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
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