NO matter what Liverpool salvage before the end of May, their season has been defined by injuries. Injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez and Joel Matip and Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara; almost every discussion about Jurgen Klopp’s side in recent memory has referenced the players missing from his squad.
Diogo Jota is another who has spent time on the sidelines with a knee injury, but the Portuguese’s absence hasn’t been discussed as much as that of some of his Liverpool teammates. However, his performance in the 3-0 away win over Arsenal underlined how he is now among the most important players at Anfield. His absence cost Liverpool more than most realised at the time.
This season has prompted a lot of talk about the trajectory of Liverpool under Klopp. It’s become apparent that the Reds must evolve to stay at the top of the English and European game and Jota, signed for £41 million from Wolves last summer, has given Liverpool a route to achieving this objective.
Initially seen as either a deputy or replacement for Roberto Firmino, Jota has instead impressed most in a red shirt when on the same pitch as the Brazilian. When Jota was introduced off the bench against Arsenal on Sunday, for instance, it was to form a front four alongside Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
Jota’s first goal! ⚽️pic.twitter.com/AOxXUcamjS
— Liverpool FC Vines (@LFC_Vines) April 3, 2021
Klopp has built his Liverpool side around his front three. Firmino, Mane and Salah have a natural chemistry together and it would be foolish to disrupt that, but Jota has already shown that his presence only adds to the formula. The 24-year-old gives Liverpool a dimension, certainly in terms of his threat in the air and finishing touch in front of goal.
“He was a big miss, a big miss,” Klopp said upon Jota’s return from a three-month injury layoff. “What does he bring? His qualities. He can play up front in all three positions, he played all three positions for us and that is already really helpful. He can play them on a really high level, so he makes us stronger, which is really good.”
Jota’s scoring record as a Liverpool player is quite remarkable for a player who only pitched up at the club last summed. Sunday’s brace against Arsenal increased the Portuguese’s tally to 12 goals in 20 appearances with eight of those appearances coming off the bench. While some players require some time to adapt to Klopp’s system, Jota has been an instant success.
Diogo Jota has 18 goals in 32 games for club and country this season
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) April 6, 2021
The £41 million fee Liverpool paid for Jota now looks paltry given the way he has accelerated his development in the time since. He is a big part of the Reds’ future and an important figure for a Portugal team that stands a good chance of success at Euro 2020 this summer. Jota might prove to be one of the best pieces of recruitment Liverpool ever do in the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) era.
He is both a good fit for Liverpool’s existing style and structure and a tool for Klopp to change things. Jota might not be as refined as Firmino, Mane or Salah, he may not be most comfortable in a 4-3-3 formation, but these are two of the reasons he has thrived on Merseyside. He isn’t an archetypal Klopp-era Liverpool attacker.
In time, this season might be looked back upon as a transitional one for Liverpool. Injuries denied them the chance to truly defend their Premier League title and so it might not be until those absent players return that any sort of progress becomes apparent. The integration of Jota in particular has given Klopp new ideas that could sustain Liverpool over a number of seasons.
