BBC pundit Stephen Warnock spots a moment involving Liverpool star Diogo Jota that sums up his current struggle with form. Warnock highlighted Jota’s selfish decision to take the shot when Cody Gakpo demanded the ball for a simple open-goal tap-in.
Liverpool beat AC Milan 1-3 in the Champions League opening game away at San Siro to kickstart their European campaign. The Reds needed a victory after their surprise 0-1 Premier League loss to Nottingham Forest during the weekend at Anfield.
Liverpool started the season strongly with three wins from three Premier League games including an away win against Manchester United. However, the September international break stopped their rhythm and after the break, the Nottingham loss ruined the momentum for them.
However, the loss is also a reality check for the Liverpool senior team that persistently struggled with complacency last season. Arne Slot has changed a lot tactically which has proven effective for the Merseyside club but the complacency problem remains.
However, the comeback victory against Milan showed that Liverpool are rectifying their past errors gradually under the new head coach. However, Jota’s form as the leading striker is building into a big concern for the Reds as the season progresses.
Slot has not started with Darwin Nunez yet and Jota’s form does not justify his spot as the first-team regular. The 27-year-old is the best finisher in the senior team apart from Mohamed Salah but has struggled with recurring injuries.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, Warnock responded to Jota’s decision to take a wayward shot over passing to Gakpo. He said:
“It is greedy. Not good enough from Jota, he has to square. Gakpo is furious.”
Jota managed only 23 touches against Milan before Darwin substituted him in the 68th minute of the game. The Portugal international missed two big chances while delivering two key passes with 85% passing accuracy from just 13 passes.
Jota also lost five out of six ground duels and two aerial duels while losing possession eight times. The Portuguese international similarly struggled against Nottingham in the club’s home loss, raising concern about his contribution when he struggled to score.
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Slot has a big decision to make as Darwin remains available and eager to prove himself after the criticisms he faced last season. Meanwhile, Jota remains an important player for the squad because of his ability to make an impact from the bench.
