Jurgen Klopp explains why Luis Diaz was benched against Watford

Jurgen Klopp explains why Luis Diaz was benched against Watford

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained his decision to dropped Luis Diaz for Watford’s visit to Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The Colombian forward was an unused substitute after returning from international duty, while Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both featured after long trips of their own.

Goals from Diogo Jota and Fabinho ensured Liverpool strolled to a comfortable 2-0 win over the Hornets. Fans were invariably relieved to see their team collect pick up all three points.

The win sent them top of the table, only for a few hours, as Manchester City responded almost instantly with a 2-0 win over Burnley.

Luis Diaz was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s win over Watford (photo credit: Getty Images)

Speaking after the match Klopp explained: “Luis Diaz is on the bench because he was in Colombia. It is always tricky. We had to wait until the last minute really to make decisions.”

Diaz started both of Colombia’s matches over the international break, scoring in the 3-0 win over Bolivia before playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Venezuela.

having thrilled in each of his first six Premier League games at Merseyside, it was a bold decision for Klopp to chase victory without him. Diaz would be key, making an impact in the Red’s upcoming run of games.

In other news, Worrying signs shows how Mo Salah’s form has dipped since AFCON