Liverpool are gearing up for a first Premier League season under Arne Slot and the Dutchman faces a big call over Diogo Jota or Darwin Nunez.
The Reds have impressed in pre-season as Arne Slot begins the unenviable task of following on from Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout.
Some pundits are predicting a slow start for Liverpool but excitement is building after a strong pre-season campaign.
Sunday’s 4-1 thrashing of Sevilla leaves Liverpool in a strong position ahead of the Premier League opener against Ipswich Town.
Luis Diaz bagged a brace in an impressive Liverpool display with Slot’s principles being taken on well by the Reds squad.
Martin Zubimendi is set to snub Liverpool and stay at Real Sociedad, which is a major blow, but fans should be excited by Slot and his fresh approach.
Jamie Carragher on Diogo Jota
Diogo Jota scored the goal of the day against Sevilla, volleying home a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner of the net.
Jota received the nod to start the game as Liverpool’s striker, featuring ahead of Darwin Nunez.
Slot appears to have settled on Jota as his starting striker against Ipswich Town and his clinical edge in the final third could be crucial.
Jota scored 10 times in 21 Premier League games last season but saw his campaign marred by injuries.
Muscle problems have followed Jota around in recent years and he has only managed to start 26 Premier League games in the last two seasons.
Former Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher has now offered his verdict on Jota and his injuries whilst speaking on the Blood Red podcast.
Carragher noted that he doesn’t actually think any club would be trying to sign Jota right now because he is simply too injury prone.
Carragher then went deeper into Jota’s issues and believes that the Liverpool forward needs to stop going into so many challenges.
The pundit believes that Jota is throwing him into too many challenges and is therefore picking up injuries when he needs to be more calculated.
Carragher raved about Jota’s finishing ability but urged him to cut out some ‘daft’ challenges with defenders and even goalkeepers.
“I think the reason Diaz has probably been mentioned is because you think of Jota, no one would probably buy him because he’s injury prone,” said Carragher.
“The thing with Jota that is something that we probably all love as fans is that he gives everything, he goes into every challenge. He’s got to stop going into challenges, he doesn’t need to. Even when he’s got the ball, I think there was a goal last year where he was almost tackling his way through and he scored, it might have been Chelsea. We love it, he gives everything but some of the tackles he goes into are just ridiculous, he doesn’t need to. It’s not his job!”
“Sometimes when I watch him play and I’m a bit like ‘just stay out of that.’ It’s just daft, you don’t need to. Maybe in the crowd we go ‘he’s right, he gives everything’ but use your brain a bit, you’ve had injuries. I’m not saying you bottle out of a challenge but what I’m saying is you don’t need to go flying into a big centre-back or a keeper coming flying out. If it’s not your ball and it’s 60-40, just slam on, put the brakes on. He’s only a little fella, just stay out of it. Keep him fit, I’ve gone on record as saying last season he’s as good as any finisher I think we’ve had in the Premier League era,” he added.
Jota should be raring to go
The Portuguese forward endured a quiet Euro 2024 campaign and Liverpool should be pleased with that fact.
Roberto Martinez simply wouldn’t drop the misfiring Cristiano Ronaldo despite his struggles in the Portugal attack.
Jota was praised by Frank Lampard for his impact against the Czech Republic but played just 67 minutes at Euro 2024.
Jota has returned to Liverpool fresher than he perhaps would have expected this summer, gearing up for another Premier League campaign.
The 27-year-old has looked sharp in pre-season friendlies and he provides the lethal finishing ability that Darwin Nunez just hasn’t shown on a regular basis.
That leaves Jota in possession of the shirt and he will hopefully avoid injuries after a quiet summer – or the door will be open for Nunez to nail down a spot again.
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