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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Luis Diaz celebration spotted as Liverpool defender gets new look

Liverpool continued their four-pronged attack on silverware by knocking Championship side Cardiff City out of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Diogo Jota, Takumi Minamino and Harvey Elliott all scored as the Reds cruised to a 3-1 fourth round victory at home.

The result means Jurgen Klopp’s side will entertain Premier League strugglers Norwich City in the last 16 later this month.

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But there was plenty that went unnoticed or under the radar during the 90 minutes at Anfield.

Diaz punch dunk

From setting up a goal to being stood on by a lumbering Cardiff defender, Luis Diaz had an eventful debut. The Colombian winger even got a huge hug off Jurgen Klopp before he'd managed to enter the field as substitute.

And after assisting Takumi Minamino for Liverpool's second goal, the new boy took a moment to acquaint himself to Reds supporters.

Having dispossessed Perry Ng on the byline to create the opening, Diaz then turned to the Kop and aimed a few fist-pumps towards the stand in celebration before trotting off to join his team-mates.

The Anfield faithful will hope it's the first of many.

Elliott given a shove

Diaz had been introduced during the second half alongside Harvey Elliott, the youngster making his comeback after almost five months on the sidelines with a serious ankle injury.

The delight on the faces of the Liverpool players who mobbed Elliott after he marked his return with a first goal for the Reds underlines the genuine affection there is for the teenager among the squad.

Andy Robertson, though, was keen for the 18-year-old to savour the moment with supporters, giving Elliott a friendly shove towards the Kop so he could celebrate alone.

Few could argue the Reds youngster had deserved his moment.

*What did you think of Harvey Elliott's return to the senior squad?

Jota wardrobe malfunction

Diogo Jota didn't take long after the interval to head Liverpool into the lead.

But he seemed to take an eternity after his boot came off having had one first-half thrust at the Cardiff defence thwarted.

Play simply continued around the Portuguese for a significant time before he finally managed to put his footwear back on.

At that rate, kitting up ahead of a game must take a good hour.

Ibou's new look

Liverpool players chose different ways to spend their downtime during the recent mid-winter break.

Some jetted off to Dubai for a few rounds of golf. Others headed to the sun for a bit of rest and relaxation.

Ibrahima Konate, though, decided it was time for a new look and on Sunday gave Anfield a first glimpse of his freshly-shaven head.

It made for a refreshingly no-nonsense change in a team with the increasingly elaborate barnets of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas.

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