Liverpool’s Diogo Jota is expected to resume full first-team training this week, providing a much-needed boost for The Reds.
Jürgen Klopp’s side lost 2-0 at home to Everton on Saturday evening in their first derby defeat at Anfield in over 21 years.
There was more bad news in that game as captain Jordan Henderson went off with a first-half injury. It looked like a groin problem for Liverpool’s experienced skipper. Henderson is expected to miss the next four to five games, giving Klopp a further headache in defence.
However, there was some good news for a change on Monday as Chris Bascombe reported in The Telegraph on the imminent return of Jota, meaning the former Wolves forward could be back in the first-team squad in the coming weeks.
Bascombe writes:
‘Having been top of the league and in a comfortable position before Christmas, Klopp’s side has won just four of their 14 league games since Jota’s injury, including six defeats. Aside from Mohamed Salah, they have also struggled to replicate their usual proficiency in front of goal.
Jota will need several training sessions before Klopp considers him for first-team action again. At the moment, he is pencilled in to join full training on Wednesday. There were fears he might be out longer when he suffered a knee injury, but he has been working with club physio Chris Morgan to get back sooner than anticipated.’
Liverpool face a mammoth task of finishing in the top-four in the Premier League this season. They are currently sixth, five points behind fourth-placed West Ham United.
As Bascombe highlights, Jota’s absence has been huge for Liverpool’s forward line and he is arriving back into a team that is in a much darker place than it was when he was first injured back in December.
‘More than his goals, Jota refreshed and revitalised the front three. He allowed Klopp to rest his forwards without losing energy upfront. He added another dimension which, for a couple of weeks, made a title-challenging team look like it might get better. The results in his absence speak for themselves.
Jota will return to a different world in trying to help get back in the top four rather than the title race. If the striker can rediscover his early form, Klopp will welcome back what he has been missing all season. A chance to pick a line-up based on form and suitability rather than fitness.’
Expect to see Diogo Jota on the bench in two or three weeks for Liverpool. His return can’t come soon enough.
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