Trent Alexander-Arnold has shared his excitement at seeing Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz finally return from injury.
It has been almost six months since we last saw Diaz in a Liverpool shirt. Ever since that Sunday afternoon at the Emirates Stadium, Reds fans have missed him more with every day that passes.
So too it seems did Alexander-Arnold. Speaking to liverpoolfc.com about the fit-again Colombian, Trent said Diaz can give Liverpool a ‘spark’ that few players can.
“He’s a top player, a top lad. It’s been a tough season for him to see him out so much. But he’s back, he’s back smiling, he’s enjoying his football, so that’s all you can ask [for],” said the 24-year-old.
“With a player like that, he brings enthusiasm to the team and brings a spark that not many players have. It’s exciting to have him back.”
Diaz ready to carry the load again
There aren’t too many players who can create excitement on a football pitch like Luis Diaz. He is the definition of a livewire.
Any team missing him would feel his absence acutely. But Liverpool 2022/23 are more in need than a player like him than almost any side in football history.
So often their attacking play this season has been slow, sluggish and uninspiring. Used to Diaz injecting the required pace over the course of 2022, Liverpool have looked a little lost without him.
Patience must be given if the 26-year-old doesn’t immediately return to the same talismanic form, though. He has been out for half a year after all.
But right now, pretty much every Liverpool supporter will be feeling the same way as Trent. Diaz is pure excitement in a footballing sense. How the Reds need that right now.
Timing wise, his return couldn’t have been much more perfect. Three enormous games are on the way this week, before a run-in that looks relatively favourable. Just as he did at the start of last year, Liverpool will be relying on Diaz to haul them over the line.