‘He was very active’: Michael Owen blown away by £37m Liverpool star v Everton

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Michael Owen was full of praise for Luis Diaz after he impressed for Liverpool against Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday.

Normal service resumed yesterday. Premier League football returned. Liverpool played at 12:30 pm. And Jurgen Klopp got another three points against Everton.

There were a lot of talking points during the game, including Ashley Young’s sending-off in the first half when the scores were goalless.

That moment was touched upon by Michael Owen and how Luis Diaz ‘had a hand in both’, as he told Premier League Productions (21/10/23 at 2:40 pm).

The former England striker thinks that the £37 million star (Sky Sports), even though he didn’t get on the scoresheet, was ‘very active’ throughout the game.

In that regard, he probably deserved a goal, but instead, it was none other than Mohamed Salah proving his worth once more – Jordan Pickford made an admission about Salah after the game.

Either way, whilst the Egyptian king stole the headlines, it was Luis Diaz who Michael Owen was keen to talk about.

Luis Diaz v Everton

“The only thing that he didn’t do was get on the scoresheet,” said Owen. “He has a hand in both of Ashley Young’s yellow cards and penalty.

“He was direct. Considering he has just come back from South America as well with that long-haul flight. He was very active today and a difference-maker.”

An underrated figure

A player of immense ball-carrying ability, aggression and willingness to get back the ball, and keep it, like it’s the last time he is going to have it.

If it wasn’t for his long-term injury last season, it could be argued that Liverpool would have probably maintained their Champions League spot.

Yes, the defence was all over the shop, but that lack of pressing from the front was missing and Diaz is a huge part of that.

Either way, it’s three gaols from 11 games in all competitions so far and you just get the feeling that he is just warming up. 

There is a lot of competition for those attacking players, with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota on the bench, but it’s Diaz earning the starts so far.