No striker? No problem. Whatever the question, Arne Slot keeps on finding the answers during his still embryonic Liverpool reign.
With Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa missing and wary of overloading Darwin Nunez, the Reds head coach had pondered his lack of central attacking options ahead of this League Cup clash at Brighton.
The solution was simply to go without a recognised number nine, with Liverpool employing a box midfield that had been seen during pre-season given the absence of so many senior players but was never really expected to be used in competitive action.
And after 45 rather tame minutes in terms of attacking threat, it was easy to see why, the Reds comfortable in possession but almost completely toothless in the final third.
That all changed less than 30 seconds into the second half when Cody Gakpo, in what is becoming a trademark move, cut inside off the right flank before thrashing in a superb strike into the far corner beyond Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele.
The Dutchman was at it again shortly after the hour, this time firing low after capitalising on a mistake from Tariq Lamptey, the goals reward for his persistence during the first half in which he grew increasingly frustrated that his approach work on the flank often floundered due to lack of central options. Gakpo chose to just do the job himself.
The forward had regularly operated as a number nine under Jurgen Klopp, and appeared a natural replacement for Roberto Firmino compared to the more traditional Nunez.
Slot, though, very much sees his compatriot as a left-winger, and his battle with Diaz for the position has been an intriguing sub-plot this season, a chief example of the competition for places – two players in each position – the Reds boss demands.
Both, though, started here, with Diaz asked to do a job on the right flank with Mohamed Salah benched. However, it was when the Colombian moved back to the left after Gakpo’s substitution that he wriggled his way beyond several defenders to score what ultimately proved the winner after a late Brighton rally.
It was a sixth goal of the season for Diaz, while all four of Gakpo’s strikes have come in the League Cup, a competition he has very much found to his liking at Liverpool with eight goals in as many appearances.
And, thanks to Liverpool’s lefties, there promises to be at least one more outing before Christmas. The Slot machine keeps on coming up trumps.
