Liverpool have suffered a blow ahead of their fixture with Fulham, with Diogo Jota potentially ruled out of the clash, as reported by This is Anfield.
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The Portugal international featured in the Reds’ last game against Tottenham, coming off the bench to bag the winner in a 4-3 victory over their Premier League rivals. There was controversy too surrounding the goal, with Spurs chief Ryan Mason feeling the 26-year-old shouldn’t even have been on the pitch prior to the strike following an incident with Oliver Skipp.
Jota has been a key player for Liverpool this campaign so far too, with the player regularly producing the goods when he has been fit and available for selection. In ten league starts so far this campaign, he’s managed a total of five goals and four assists. It means that the forward has produced a rate of 0.88 goals or assists per 90 – the second-best rate at Anfield this season (via FBRef).
With the Reds wanting to try and push on for a European spot in their final few games of the season then, they’ll want as many of their best players to be fit and firing as possible. With Thiago already ruled out for the rest of the campaign, it will be a further blow then to hear that Jota is now a “doubt” for their next game against Fulham, via This is Anfield.
Speaking about the Portuguese man, Jurgen Klopp said:
“Diogo struggles. He got a knock in the back in the West Ham game, a bruised rib, could not train before the game but could play without an injection or whatever. He could play, but got another knock immediately when he came on.
“He didn’t train since then, so that’s a doubt. He’s a doubt at least, but I hope he can recover before tomorrow night.”
Will Liverpool struggle without Diogo Jota?
Considering that the Reds are already missing several players through knocks and injuries, it will be a bigger loss to be without Jota.
The goals and creativity of the 26-year-old will be a big miss and it means Jurgen Klopp will have to rely on some of his other forward options to produce the goods in his absence. Whilst they are certainly capable of doing so, there are few in the side that can split open opposition defences and take people on like the Portuguese maestro – former player Michael Owen has praised the player, calling him “brilliant.”
He’s proven that since arriving at Anfield, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.77 in the league this year and managing a score of 7.34 when started out on the left wing for the club. Whilst the Reds then have good forward options to step in, few have impressed like Jota and he will be a big miss if he can’t play against Fulham.
