Outstanding defender proves why Liverpool and Arne Slot needed Federico Chiesa

After keeping three consecutive clean sheets to start the season, Nottingham Forest flipped the script by stopping Liverpool from scoring at Anfield for the first time in exactly five months. Crystal Palace were the last team to do so in April on course to another 1-0 away win.

Daniel Munoz kept his international teammate Luis Diaz quiet during that defeat, making six tackles. The former Reds defender Nathaniel Clyne also doubled up with him down the right flank.

Darwin Nunez likewise got no joy through the middle that afternoon, with Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota replacing both attackers. Fast-forward five months, Ola Aina shut Diaz down himself, again forcing the introduction of Gakpo, with Nunez replacing Jota.

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Despite different faces being on the touchline for those two games, the players on the pitch remained the same and similar struggles ensued. Diaz did not enjoy any success from the three times he dribbled at the Palace defence, being tackled during all of them.

Aina, conversely, made three tackles and won all of them, two of which were when Diaz was trying to take him on. The former Chelsea and Fulham defender also forced Diaz to track back, completing each of his two dribbles forward and managing more progressive passes than the winger while misplacing just five.

It was an impressive performance from Aina, but the Reds have now failed to score in three of their last six matches at Anfield. That also includes the 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, which took place three days before the Palace defeat.

The need for Federico Chiesa now seems all the more apparent. He has yet to make a matchday squad since signing from Juventus, but that may have to change when Bournemouth come to Anfield next weekend, at least as an option to replace Diaz should the same problems arise again.