Mark Lawrenson has likened new Liverpool star Luis Diaz with former Anfield favourite Philippe Coutinho.
Diaz made his debut for the Reds in their 3-1 win over Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Sunday, and provided an assist for Takumi Minamino’s goal.
The Colombian joined the club from Porto in the January transfer window, and impressed Lawrenson when he played against Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Champions League earlier this season.
The former Reds defender also compared Diaz’s playing style with that of Coutinho, who joined Aston Villa on loan from Barcelona in January.
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The Brazilian spent five-and-a-half seasons at Anfield before departing for Barca in 2018, and would captivate supporters with an array of spectacular goals, cutting in from the left and using his right foot to great effect.
“I saw him in the second leg here at Anfield and he posed lots of problems," Lawrenson told LFC TV .
“Right-footed comes in from the left, a bit like Coutinho used to do to score his goals all that way but also that would mean for me that he could play on the right.
“Obviously, in terms of pressure on the normal front three for places, he’s just a really good signing and I like the way the club went about the business.
“It was hardly mentioned and all of a sudden it was done which is always very good.
“A pure footballer but also can go past people.”
