The indications were apparent from the opening match of the season. Diogo Jota has clearly reclaimed one of Liverpool’s most coveted reputations.
Jota’s opportunistic goal less than 10 minutes into the match against Crystal Palace last Saturday secured a win that keeps the Reds at the top of the early Premier League table and continues Arne Slot’s record-setting start as manager at Anfield.
This further demonstrates why the Portugal international has been seen as Liverpool’s “gamebreaker” throughout his time at the club.
Jota was the one to kick off the Slot era, scoring the first competitive goal under the Dutchman and helping Liverpool secure a 2-0 victory against promoted Ipswich Town on the Premier League’s opening weekend.
Although the Reds fell behind against West Ham United in the League Cup, the 27-year-old netted both the equalizer and the second goal, turning the tide in a match that Liverpool ultimately won 5-1.
Jota’s role in breaking the deadlock this season has extended beyond just scoring. In the home victory over Brentford, his pass set Luis Diaz off on a run to score the opening goal.
During his return to his former club, Wolves, the striker delivered a cross from the left that Ibrahima Konate converted with a powerful, towering header to put Liverpool in the lead.
The goal against Palace was significant as it came just one day after Slot encouraged his team to generate more opportunities for the central forward, with Jota currently leading the competition against Darwin Nunez. In fact, out of the 23 goals Liverpool has scored this season, it was only the third by a number nine.
“We should defend the goal better; we opened the passing line and were too late to react,” said Palace boss Oliver Glasner after the game. “But Diogo scores many goals like this as his movement in the box is excellent.”
However, Jota’s knack for being the first on the scoresheet had diminished in recent seasons. He netted the opening goal in only four matches last term and just twice during the 2022/23 season. In contrast, he had scored Liverpool’s first goal 14 times in the season prior.
Injuries have undoubtedly played a major role in the decline in recent years. Jota began last season as the starting number nine in the first two Premier League matches, but concerns about his fitness, along with the performances of Darwin Nunez and later Cody Gakpo, limited him to just five more starts in the central attack. He appeared in only four of Liverpool’s last 18 matches after re-injuring his knee.
Last season, extended absences due to a hamstring issue followed by a calf injury— which caused him to miss the World Cup— contributed to a period of over a year without scoring at one point.
In contrast, Jota has played in all but one game this season, missing only the Premier League victory over Bournemouth, where he was on the bench. He has started eight out of 10 matches, with seven of those as the central striker.
“He puts a lot of effort in, but apart from putting a lot of effort in, he works in a smart way,” says Slot on the Portuguese.
“Without the ball, he works really hard, like all the others, but with the ball, he always understands when to drop, when to play deep, and a bit higher.
“He has a lot of tactical knowledge, and that helps us in certain parts of the game.”
The last time Jota managed to stay injury-free throughout a season, Liverpool came heartbreakingly close to achieving an unprecedented treble. Ensuring the striker remains fit and available could be crucial for their success this time.
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