Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez Shine as Liverpool Defeat LASK 3-1
Liverpool began their Europa League campaign in perfect fashion on Thursday night, with a 3-1 win away to LASK. Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez were the star men for Jurgen Klopp’s side, but one individual really struggled.
The Reds made yet another slow start to the game, falling behind through Florian Flecker’s thunderbolt from outside the area, but they once again battled back impressively. Nunez equalised with a well-taken penalty early in the second half, Diaz fired home to put the Reds in front and Mohamed Salah sealed the three points late in the day.
Finishing on top spot in the ratings was Luis Diaz (8.0), who took his goal brilliantly and was a massive outlet for Liverpool. The 26-year-old looks to have overcome the knee injury that kept him sidelined for much of last season and he remains a hugely important player for Klopp.
Luis Diaz: Star Man for Liverpool
TIA’s David Lynch picked Diaz out as his star player on the night, claiming that he “did better than any other attacker in terms of forcing turnovers out of possession.”
Next up was Nunez (7.5), whose promising start to the season continues, in terms of his goalscoring output. The Uruguayan was a menace throughout the evening, putting his pace and goal threat to good use, and he dispatched his penalty with ease.
The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle felt that Nunez was “a willing runner in behind”, causing problems for LASK’s defenders, and FotMob noted that he made four recoveries, giving him an 8.6 rating in the process.
Ryan Gravenberch Impresses on Full Debut
Ryan Gravenberch completed the top three, following a promising full Liverpool debut – one that saw him tee-up Diaz brilliantly for his goal. Peter McVitie of Goal said that the Dutchman produced “intelligent passes and quick decisions” for the Reds, adding that he did “remarkably well” with his assist.
Wataru Endo Struggles
The worst player on the night according to the overall ratings was Wataru Endo (5.1), with the midfielder looking a fair way off the pace.
It’s now a quick turnaround for Liverpool, who host West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon (2pm UK).