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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Josh O'Brien

Jurgen Klopp reveals pre-match Luis Diaz advice after "you can't force it" claim

Luis Diaz has been a stellar signing since he arrived at Anfield at the turn of the year but the Liverpool winger has found goals hard to come by considering how dangerous he is.

It is for that reason Jurgen Klopp explained just before Monday night's clash at home to Crystal Palace what Diaz must do to start finding the back of the net more often. It's not that the forward has endured a lengthy drought, but a return of six goals in 28 outings before the game against the Eagles is hardly prolific.

Diaz's lack of goal-scoring instinct seemed on show on the opening day against Fulham after spurning a number of chances, which prompted Klopp to reveal the kind of numbers he expects from his £37million addition.

"Oh, definitely he can get 10-15 goals this season. That is his quality. We need to see, but of course, that is his potential," the Reds boss claimed.

Klopp cited Reds legend and recently departed Sadio Mane as an example that Diaz can take inspiration from. The Senegal international was profligate in front of goal at the start of his time at Anfield, before slowly becoming one of the most lethal marksmen in the Premier League.

"When Sadio played against us, he scored three times for Southampton but it was not that he scored every week. He didn't even start the game when he played against us," Klopp added.

"So the consistency came with the confidence and with the teammates, the structure of our game. So that is what we're working on that doesn't change. The way we play should help strikers. It is the way we play. It's the way we bring the boys into the situation."

Luis Diaz notched his first goal of the season ((Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images))

HAVE YOUR SAY! How many goals will Diaz score this season? Comment below

Klopp even went on to quash any talk that Diaz was undergoing specialist finishing training to boost his numbers. "We work on it but not with Luis specifically.

"We don't take him out because the other two scored and he didn't, so we show him how. That's not necessary. It's not a problem. You can’t force it."

Of course, scoring goals is not even Diaz's main responsibility - but when operating in a forward line as fluid as Liverpool's the Colombian international is going to have to contribute more than he has been. With that being said, he got off to a stellar start for the visit of Palace.

The former Porto talisman spared his side's blushes with a sensational equaliser that saw him evade the challenges of four players before firing in a stunning right-footed effort from just outside the penalty area.

It marked his first of the season and leaves him now just nine short of the target his boss set for him before the campaign's end.

With fellow attacker Darwin Nunez suspended for the next three games due to a foolish headbutt on Joachim Andersen, there is now even greater goalscoring emphasis placed on Diaz ahead of a tricky trip to fierce rivals Manchester United on Monday night.

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