Virgil van Dijk compares Luis Diaz impact to former Liverpool teammate

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has hailed the impact of Luis Diaz, suggesting he might be the answer to the void left by Sadio Mane.

Diaz dazzled in his central role against Bayer Leverkusen, bagging his first hat-trick for Liverpool. The Colombian sensation, now level with Mohamed Salah as the club's top scorer, is showing versatility reminiscent of Mane's dynamic influence.

"Yeah, I think we've seen that over the last couple of years with Sadio playing as a No. 9 and drifting in different positions, so I think the players can do damage everywhere," Van Dijk reflected.

He praised Diaz's Champions League performance: "Obviously for him, I'm very pleased for him to get this first Champions League hat-trick of his career. His first goal was quality all over. It was an amazing ball from Curtis [Jones] and a fantastic finish. I think he's an amazing player, like the rest of the guys."

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Arne Slot's tactical acumen shone through as he shifted Diaz from the left, a move also benefiting from Darwin Nunez's inconsistent form and allowing Cody Gakpo to start and score his fourth goal in three games. Van Dijk emphasized the squad's adaptability: "I think we have quality players, first and foremost," he stated.

Van Dijk has emphasized the squad's combined efforts, with each player primed to contribute positively as and when called upon by boss Jurgen Klopp. "Obviously the manager makes the decision who's going to play and everyone has to be ready to make an impact in a positive way. That's what the manager expects from us and that's what we as players expect from ourselves as well."

With the team riding a winning streak in the Champions League and stationed at the Premier League summit, van Dijk asserts that there's no room for predictions at Anfield.

The focus remains firmly on the next challenge, which is overcoming Aston Villa at their home ground. "Based on the results, we're doing very well," the central defender acknowledged.

"But we're definitely going to let others do the talking. I think there's no point in me making statements because I know how it works in this world."

The Dutchman clarified that the current mood is positive but maintaining that optimism through to the season's end is crucial. He stated, "We're happy, but we want to be happy at the end of the season. It's all about working each and every day to get better in things that we have to improve because there are still so many things where we could improve."

Van Dijk recognized the role of the manager and the collective acknowledgment among the squad: "We all know that as players and I think the manager is also key and is showing that as well. We're still a work in progress."