Kostas Tsimikas has welcomed the impending return of Luis Diaz - admitting he hopes the Reds forward can show a "little bit of the magic" during Monday's visit to Leeds United.
Diaz has not featured for the Reds since suffering a serious knee injury in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on October 9, before a relapse of the same issue during the club's mid-season training camp in Dubai required him to have further surgery and miss the following four months.
However, it is expected the 26-year-old will make his highly-anticipated return to action on Monday night when Liverpool travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United. Prior to last weekend's clash with Arsenal, manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that while the Reds must be "careful" in the handling of the winger's return, he will be "100 per cent" available for the trip across the Pennines.
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Speaking ahead of Monday's encounter, Tsimikas embraced the return of Diaz and revealed how he and his Anfield team-mates found the Colombian's absence "very hard".
“Yeah, of course, we were so sad about Luis when he got injured again in Dubai," Tsimikas told Liverpoolfc.com "It was very hard for us because as a team we want him, we want his skills.
“He improved all the time with his personality all the time he played. When I played with him, because we play on the same [side of the pitch], he’s an unbelievable player and always helped me. And I help him also.
“Of course I’m very happy for this game, hopefully he plays and hopefully will be in a good shape and he can show us a little bit of the magic he showed us before he got injured.”
The trip to Elland Road is one of nine remaining Premier League games for the Reds, who currently sit eighth in the table and a mammoth 12 points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.
It means for the first time since Klopp's first full season at Anfield, Liverpool could remarkably find themselves outside of Europe's premier competition next season after six successive campaigns and three final appearances during that time.
Tsimikas, though, believes his side must win their remaining Premier League fixtures and show the same endeavour that was on display during the second half of Sunday's pulsating score draw with Arsenal if they are to complete a remarkable turnaround.
“We have to fight [in] every game," added Tsimikas. "Game by game we have to win. If we want to achieve something we have to win all the upcoming games, the last nine games.
“All the boys want to play in Europe next year, so we have to keep the good spirit we had in the second half [on Sunday], all the fight we did and we have to start doing it from the first half and the second half also.
“The first half was not so good but in the second half we came back. I think if we start like that every game, the first half, with this desire we had in the second half against Arsenal, we can win all the games.”
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