Luis Díaz vs. Erling Haaland: the great duel in the match of the year in the Premier League

There are games that excite before they are played, games that the spectator longs to see, convinced not to be disappointed, they are those games in which good football is guaranteed, surely with incredible goals, with the most advanced tactics of the best coaches, with some battle epic or memorable feat.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City It's all that, it's just naming it and starting to clench your hands and teeth and sweat and wait for it to start now, for the show to begin, like this Sunday, when they are also playing for the leadership of the Premier League, which is in the power of Arsenel after their 2-1 win on Saturday over Brentford.

And there is the Colombian Luis Diazwhich is not a minor ingredient.

Head to head

On the contrary, it is another reason not to miss the duel. Lucho, in a splendid moment –6 goals in the season and has just scored in the Europa League–, is one of the most effective weapons in Liverpool to defend that point that separates it from its archrival: it has 63 against City's 62, in the search for the title.

In a game between stars, Lucho does not clash, he knows how to play these games, that is when he brings out his dribbling, his agility and his fearlessness the most. Luis does not respect his rival, and if it is Manchester City that is in front, he is motivated.

The confrontation is also marked by the rivalry between two technicians who do not seem like rivals, on the contrary, they seem like friends or partners, because they are two of the best at the moment: Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool guide, and Pep Guardiola, the brain of Manchester City.

A Klopp-Guardiola duel captures attention as coaches rarely do, so relegated to the charge of the expendable. They are the soul of this party.

Strategies to prevail go through their heads (see alternate note). And since they are so special, an unmissable clash of ideas is expected.

Praise

And they seem like friends, we said, because they are not one of those who rebuke each other to heat up the battle, it is not their style.

Klopp does not believe he is better than Pep, on the contrary, before the game, he was honest: “I know I'm pretty good at what I do.“I know I'm not bad, but he's the best,” he told Pep.

And it sounds honest, it doesn't seem like a strategy to put pressure on a Guardiola who is seasoned in a thousand battles. Klopp really knows which coach he is facing: “We respect City.

Guardiola is the best coach in the world, Haaland the best '9', Foden the best Englishman, De Bruyne will go down in history with Steven Gerrard… City is the most successful team in England in recent years. Maybe from Europe. “His records are incredible,” Klopp added.

On the other hand, Guardiola focused his words on his colleague and his announcement of leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, as if he already missed him.

“I spoke to him and I have the feeling that he will return to football later. He loves this sport. His passion is still there. He already explained perfectly why he is leaving. So this may be the last time in the Premier League, but perhaps the FA Cup let's meet again. We'll see,” declared Pep.

Klopp has been uncomfortable for Pep, he knows how to face him, he knows how to beat him: he has done it 12 times, against 11 victories for the Spaniard. So if City wins today, not only will the coaches' confrontation be equal, but they will also go to the top of the Premier League.

All of that is at stake. That's why grief is so special. Furthermore, Liverpool wants revenge, breaking the hegemony of a City that has won five of the last six tournaments against only one of the Reds (2020). The last time they met was last November and the Premier League match ended 1-1.

Expected duel

The red carpet is rolled out at Anfield. That's where the stars will parade towards the grass. Liverpool, full of absences due to injuries, has recovered Mohamed Salah and that is a relief for Klopp. City will not have Jack Grealish but he has his usual weapons, such as the accurate scorer Haaland or the brilliant De Bruyne.

This match has everything to be a great match, the incredible technicians, the figures, a Colombian protagonist, the leadership – and perhaps the title itself – at stake. A match not to be missed.

(Santiago Buitrago and Egan Bernal, figures in the mountain stage of Paris Nice)