Liverpool head coach Arne Slot revealed why Diogo Jota missed the game against Manchester City, highlighting his unfortunate fitness unreliability. Jota has enjoyed a healthy reputation among the Reds fanbase for his clinical finishing and game-changing abilities as a forward.
However, the 28-year-old’s tenure at the Merseyside club is riddled with numerous nagging injuries, forcing him to miss many games. The Portugal international played as the first-choice number nine in the early stages of the current season under Slot.
Jota’s unreliability has forced Slot to play Luis Diaz as a make-shift number nine, rotating with the struggling Darwin Nunez. Liverpool have overly relied on legendary forward Mohamed Salah, who is enjoying the best season of his career.
Speaking to LFCTV, Slot revealed that Jota told him that he has not fully recovered from the Aston Villa draw to play against Man City for Liverpool. Slot said:
“First of all Diogo Jota told me yesterday that he wasn’t fully recovered yet, so he couldn’t start,”
Jota played only 66 minutes against Villa in the 2-2 draw and 64 minutes against Wolves in the game before. Slot substituted the Portuguese to maintain his availability for the team yet he failed to continue.
Liverpool beat Man City 0-2 in the crucial away Premier League game to secure three points. The victory have allowed the Reds a strong 11-point lead over second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
However, Jota’s unreliability remains an active issue going forward with the key Champions League and Carabao Cup fixtures ahead. Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s round of 16 and need their attacking options available.
The Reds had players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara who possessed a lot of talent but never managed to stay consistently fit. Since joining Liverpool in 2020, Jota has failed to remain available for a long period just like those talented players.
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There is a good argument for Liverpool to move on from Jota despite his connection with the Liverpool fanbase. Rest assured, the fans will understand that decision as they have voiced constant concern about their beloved Portuguese’s problem with injuries.
