Jürgen Klopp has provided insight into his decision to move Luis Díaz to left-back during Liverpool’s victory over Everton. The Merseyside derby ended in a 2-0 win for the Reds, with Mohamed Salah scoring both goals in the second half. However, it was Klopp’s tactical maneuver that caught the attention.
During the match, Ashley Young was sent off for a second bookable offence after a foul on Díaz, giving Liverpool a man advantage. With the game still goalless, Klopp made a bold substitution, replacing Kostas Tsimikas with Darwin Núñez and shifting Díaz to a left-wing-back role. Explaining his reasoning after the game, Klopp said: “We brought on another offensive player, and how can you do that without taking one off? You have to change a little bit. So we put Lucho in the left-back position. They didn’t have a winger really there, so we thought it was possible to let him attack there. And he crossed the ball for the penalty, so it was not the worst idea we ever had.”
Klopp’s decision proved fruitful as Díaz’s attacking presence from the left-back position played a crucial role in Liverpool’s first goal, which came from a penalty. The manager acknowledged that Everton’s defensive approach made it challenging for his team to break through.
“Everton is not a team with that deep a block, so I would’ve loved to play the game 11v11 or 10v10 because it’s just a different game. But with 10, they were really deep, and that’s difficult,” Klopp added. The tactical shift showcased Klopp’s ability to adapt and make strategic changes during matches. By utilizing Díaz in an unconventional position, Liverpool gained an extra attacking threat while maintaining defensive stability
Jürgen Klopp the head coach / manager of Liverpool instructs Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC at Anfield on October 21, 2023 in Liverpool, England.
Jürgen Klopp withdrew Kostas Tsimikas against Everton, pursuing a bold Liverpool left-back experiment.
