Jermaine Jenas said on BBC Radio 5 Live (7:47pm, November 6, 2020) that he thinks that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will not include Diogo Jota in the starting lineup against Manchester City.
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, who now works as a pundit for BBC Sport, believes that Roberto Firmino will start for Liverpool in their Premier League against City away from home at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Jota started for the Reds in the Champions League in midweek and scored a hat-trick.
Firmino came on as a substitute against Atalanta, and Jenas believes that the Brazil international forward will start against City, outlining how Klopp will deal with Jota.
Jenas said on BBC Radio 5 Live (7:47pm, November 6, 2020): “I think Firmino comes straight back in. I think I would have a little walk over to Diogo Jota in the training field, put my arm around his shoulder.
‘You have been brilliant, mate. Keep scoring the goals, but not this weekend, alright. Bobby has been doing it for me for a couple of seasons now. He knows his job. I am predicting we are not going to have the majority of the ball in this game, and I need Firmino who is kind of defensive attributes as well as his attacking attributes, that hold-up play, he drops in deep to help the midfield, and actually there might be a bigger role for you coming on later in the game to get in behind’.
“That’s exactly how I would play, and that’s exactly what he would do.”
Roberto Firmino over Diogo Jota?
Jota is playing well at the moment. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger is making an impact coming on as a substitute, and his hat-trick against Atalanta showed just how important he will be for the Reds in the coming weeks and months.
However, Firmino has been superb for Liverpool over the years and has developed a strong understanding with fellow attacking players Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Klopp is likely to go with Firmino in the starting lineup and use Jota as a substitute against City.
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