Klopp’s reference to Diaz as a striker is an interesting one, especially given Liverpool must make do without £85m frontman Darwin Nunez against Man Utd, following the Uruguayan’s red card on his Anfield debut.
With Diogo Jota also sidelined with injury, that suspension places extra responsibility on Salah and Diaz to deliver in front of goal, although Roberto Firmino is fit again and could come straight back into the team.
There are also selection issues in defence and midfield.
Given the injuries and suspensions affecting Klopp’s line-up options, the Liverpool boss is taking nothing for granted ahead of the trip down the M62.
He stops short of any discussion about last season’s 5-0 win there, which left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the brink and his team embarrassed. He says the shock 4-0 defeat for Erik ten Hag’s side at Brentford last time out makes it difficult to predict how the Dutchman will approach this contest.
“I don’t think about these kind of things,” he says in reference to last October’s victory.
“It makes life not easier when you arrive there now. It’s already a very, very, very important game – as if it wasn’t important enough before – for United and for us as well, we are not over the moon about our start.
“When you do the [pre-game] analysis you try to figure out what an opponent might do. We played them in pre-season and we’ve seen them playing twice. But I don’t know how many changes he’ll make, I don’t know if he’ll change the approach.
“But it’s early in the season, it’s always like this, you never know. For example, last week Crystal Palace played once before with a five at the back and now they play against us with five in the back. Interesting!
“We give the players all the information they need but in the end it’s all about what the boys bring on the pitch. In all the media, everywhere, everyone will remind United about the results we had last year. But I knew last year they wouldn’t help for next year.
“We know what’s at stake and I’m pretty sure we’ll be ready.”
Man Utd’s approach may be hard to anticipate but with Salah and Diaz’s own unpredictability, that element of surprise could lead to another win on enemy territory to kick-start Liverpool’s season.
