According to The Telegraph, Luis Diaz has made a considerable progress in his rehabilitation from a knee injury and is in contention to be available for Liverpool’s crucial game against with Manchester City. After a turbulent season in Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp’s team travels to the Etihad on Saturday in an effort to finish among the Champions League spots.
The Reds were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 after losing to Real Madrid with a devastating 6-2 aggregate defeat. Furthermore, they were eliminated from both domestic cup tournaments, leaving their fans bitter after last season was filled with wins and two trophies. The team’s attack now has more firepower thanks to the arrivals of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez in back-to-back transfer windows.
Luis Diaz return shot in the arm for Liverpool’s ailing season
Liverpool’s inconsistent play was encapsulated in a stretch where they destroyed Manchester United 7-0 before falling 1-0 to Bournemouth, who were in danger of being relegated, less than a week later. Currently occupying sixth place in the Premier League standings, the Reds are planning a late push to finish in the top four.
Luis Diaz, who sustained a knee injury back in October, is reportedly close to making a full recovery which could further strengthen Liverpool’s charge for a top-four finish. The winger played just over 600 minutes of Premier League football this season while out for more than six months.
According to renowned journalist Chris Bascombe, who spoke to The Telegraph Luis Diaz was ‘taking a significant step in his comeback during the international break’. The Colombian reportedly trained with the club’s academy players last week in preparation for his return to the first squad before this weekend’s trip to Manchester City. While it is anticipated that he will start full training in the coming days.
The report from The Telegraph added:
“(Luis) Diaz is expected to begin full training over the next few days. If those sessions go to plan there is a chance the 26-year-old will be part of the travelling squad against the champions. It may be too soon to feature in the fixture, but the closer Diaz is to a return the greater Liverpool’s top- four prospects.”
It is a measure of how much Liverpool have missed Luis Diaz that if his imminent comeback inspires a late rally towards Champions League qualification, he may yet emerge as the club’s player of the year. Although Bascombe acknowledged that Diaz’s return to health may come too soon for the match, it will be a huge boost for fans and will lessen the strain on Liverpool’s strikers.
By making a substantial progress in his rehabilitation during the international break, Luis Diaz has given Liverpool a much-needed ray of hope before the season’s disappointing conclusion. Only five Liverpool players have scored more Premier League goals than Diaz this season, and only four teammates have recorded more assists, despite the 26-year-old’s scant playing time.
Prior to sustaining the injury, the South American’s form was miles ahead of that of his teammates. He was the only player on Jurgen Klopp’s team to begin the season upholding the high standards by which he concluded last, along with goalkeeper Alisson. The game at Anfield against Arsenal might be a more feasible return date for Diaz. After his recent recovery, Klopp will be careful before unleashing Luis Diaz against City, especially given the previous experience when a projected return was delayed.