Slot now has a Liverpool star who’s playing like the “Firmino of old”

Whilst Chelsea stumbled to a goalless draw away at Everton on Sunday, Liverpool turned on the style on their travels to Tottenham Hotspur to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

The final scoreline would swing 6-3 in favour of Arne Slot’s entertainers, as Ange Postecoglou’s depleted Spurs side wilted throughout to allow the Reds opportunity after opportunity to make the victory even more emphatic.

It definitely wasn’t a game for the defenders in North London, with the hosts showing off their firepower in spurts, whilst Liverpool looked like scoring every single time they ventured forward in the hectic affair.

Standout Liverpool attackers

Mohamed Salah’s unbelievable season shows no signs of stopping as the Egyptian magician picked up a stunning two goals and two assists in the high-octane win.

Everyone associated with Slot’s table-toppers will be praying that the spellbinding Liverpool winger stays put past his contract expiring this coming summer, as the 32-year-old managed to terrorise the hosts all afternoon long with the likes of Djed Spence for Spurs simply taken aback by his devastating quality.

Away from the continued brilliance of the Liverpool number 11, Dominik Szoboszlai also got in on the act with a goal and assist of his own making, whilst Trent Alexander-Arnold shone when pushing forward from defence with a stunning four key passes collected from his 94 touches of the ball.

Spurs being so open – which had seen them leak four to Chelsea at home earlier in the month and three against Man United a few days ago – really played into the hands of the away side, with Luis Diaz using the contest as a way to significantly boost his confidence after some unmemorable individual displays of late.

He got Slot’s men up and running when his header beat Fraser Forster, with Gary Neville even stating as a commentator for the game that Diaz played like “Roberto Firmino of old” from the centre-forward role, dropping into deep areas and roaming freely in the centre of the pitch

Diaz’s performance in numbers

Now playing back-to-back Premier League matches as a central forward, after only really being utilised as a winger previously at Anfield, Slot could well have struck gold on moulding the electric Colombian into more of a false 9 profile of players based on this 8/10 impressive showing, as it was judged by the Liverpool Echo.

The Liverpool number seven will hope he can go down as a great like Firmino when his career in England is examined down the line, with Diaz already up to 35 goals for the Reds from 121 clashes after notching up this brace versus Spurs.

The majority of those had come from that familiar left wing spot, but with five strikes from five now in that new striker position, Slot would be foolish not to stick with Diaz here as he now aims to replicate Firmino’s goalscoring heroics up top.

The Brazilian would bow out from his celebrated time at Anfield with 90 goals amassed from the centre-forward spot, with his ability to finish off chances in a blink of an eye reminiscent of Diaz at Spurs, who was in the right place at the right time to power home Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross.

Therefore, Slot will hope he has found a permanent striker he can rely on away from keeping his fingers crossed for the enigmatic Darwin Nunez to come good.

After all, the ex-Porto star would constantly pepper Forster with seven shots registered from just 47 touches of the ball, with his header on the day amazingly his first goal in league action since the middle of September. Also accurately completing 88% of his passes, it’s safe to say it was a fine day at the office.

Now, Slot will pray a purple patch of form is coming for his new option up top, as Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City begin to fear a pasting is on the cards on Boxing Day.