Luis Diaz illuminates Anfield to give Liverpool a taste of what’s to come

Straight into the team, straight into the spotlight. Straight to business and showing why Liverpool had signed him.

There might have been a bit of circumsance about Luis Diaz lining up for his full debut for the club, with Sadio Mane not yet considered for selection after a late return from the Africa Cup of Nations and Mohamed Salah only sub after four straight games going to extra time, but it was still a confidence-boosting call for the Colombian.

And, as he showed, it must have actually been a fairly routine choice for Jurgen Klopp in the end, as he played a big part in the Reds’ 2-0 win over Leicester.

Diaz didn’t produce anything otherworldly in terms of Salah-esque solo wondergoals, but on the other hand, even being named in the 11 at this stage is a little out of the ordinary.

With the notable exceptions of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, very few have walked into the line-up within weeks of signing for the Reds under Jurgen Klopp, at least since the end of his second full season or so when his team had begun to take shape.

Andy Robertson needed nearly half a year to get the shirt off Alberto Moreno; Fabinho took several months to adapt to the requirements of a single-pivot midfield and the positional play required in a team pressing high. Thiago was in and out last season, even around his injuries, while even Diogo Jota, though it might be forgotten now among all his goals - another two to seal the win here at Anfield - took until late November last year to collect a second consecutive Premier League start.

So even being on the pitch at this point is something of a notable impact, but it was after the whistle went that Diaz started to introduce supporters to the talents he showed so often at Porto and will do so