Diogo Jota took 22 seconds to settle Liverpool’s No 9 debate

Diogo Jota had been deep in dialog with Kostas Tsimikas because the Liverpool duo waited to come back on on the Metropolis Floor.

The clock was ticking in direction of the halfway level of the second half and Arne Slot’s aspect nonetheless trailed to Chris Wooden’s first-half opener.

For all their possession, the Premier League leaders hadn’t produced a single try on the right track. They had been crying out for some inspiration as in-form Nottingham Forest, who had been chasing a seventh successive league victory for the primary time since 1922, held agency.

Jota and Tsimikas had been reminiscing about how that they had mixed for Liverpool’s winner on the similar venue within the sixth spherical of the FA Cup in March 2022.

“I used to be simply saying: ‘Let’s do it now, recreate your help, take the nook’,” Jota informed TNT Sports activities. “It was a type of events when all the things went proper. I scored with my first contact, which I felt gave the group a little bit of momentum. However I’m not completely happy as a result of I feel we may have received.”

Set items haven’t been a powerful level for Liverpool up to now this season, however Tsimikas’ supply was good and Jota headed dwelling his eighth aim of the marketing campaign in all competitions. Discuss an on the spot influence.

It was the quickest aim scored by a Liverpool substitute on report within the Premier League period — the Portugal worldwide celebrating simply 22 seconds after coming into the sector. It was additionally Liverpool’s first league aim direct from a nook since Virgil van Dijk netted away to Arsenal in October.

If bringing on left-back Tsimikas for the struggling Andy Robertson was a no brainer, Slot deserves credit score for pondering exterior the field and being daring (not for the primary time this season) as Jota’s introduction rather than Ibrahima Konate led to Ryan Gravenberch dropping deeper as a makeshift centre-back.

Matz Sels denied Jota the possibility to be Liverpool’s match-winner (Michael Regan/Getty Photographs)

“We introduced an attacker in for a defender simply to play much more attacking soccer than we already did as a result of we wanted a aim,” Slot defined. “Scoring from set items was not one thing I had in my thoughts once I introduced the 2 of them in.”

Liverpool had been a distinct proposition with Jota slightly than Luis Diaz main the road. The Colombian didn’t have a shot on the right track within the 75 minutes he had on the pitch and, as his heatmap under reveals, typically discovered himself drifting into deeper positions slightly than in central, excessive areas.

Jota, in distinction, buzzed round with intent and unsettled Forest’s defence together with his motion and combative edge. However for the heroics of goalkeeper Matz Sels, he would have been the match-winner.

Regardless of solely approaching within the 66th minute, Jota had extra photographs on the right track (three) than any of his team-mates. He supplied the spark for that frenetic finale.

It’s been a tough interval for the previous Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker, who hasn’t began a top-flight match since struggling a chest damage in opposition to Chelsea at Anfield in October.

After being sidelined for 2 months, he scored on his comeback off the bench when he salvaged some extent for 10-man Liverpool in opposition to Fulham in mid-December.

Nonetheless, some discomfort remained and Slot has managed him rigorously since. Jota has needed to be affected person, however Tuesday evening felt like a giant step ahead for him. He seemed stronger and sharper.

“Diogo had a huge impact when he got here on in opposition to Fulham, however then after that recreation, he had a little bit of a setback,” Slot stated. “Then within the video games he got here in afterwards, I additionally felt he wanted a bit extra time to get into his rhythm. That’s not solely with him, I see that with different gamers as properly that had been out for a couple of weeks or a couple of months. It’s tough to get this depth getting in Premier League video games instantly.

“It was very pleasing to see tonight that he would possibly even have been higher than in opposition to Fulham. He had a huge impact. He was the one, other than Mo (Salah), who had a couple of possibilities to attain a second aim.”

Darwin Nunez will come again into rivalry for Saturday’s journey to Brentford after serving a one-match suspension, however Jota deserves the chance to start out. Enjoying Diaz by way of the center has labored properly at instances, however the Colombian, who made manner for Curtis Jones, struggled in opposition to Forest’s physicality and provided little risk.

Jota is with out query essentially the most full No 9 at Slot’s disposal and conserving him match and firing will go a protracted approach to figuring out what Liverpool go on to realize this season.

GO DEEPER

Diogo Jota: My recreation in my phrases

They continue to be in charge of the Premier League title race, regardless of dropping factors for the fourth time of their final seven league matches.

Liverpool’s frustration that they didn’t discover a winner was twinned with aid that they had been returning dwelling having prevented a harmful repeat of the defeat they suffered to Forest at Anfield in September.

The alarm bells had been ringing throughout an erratic first-half show when some shoddy defending enabled Wooden to fireplace Forest in entrance early on. Choice-making repeatedly let Liverpool down as so many promising openings got here to nothing.

They seemed rattled within the white-hot environment of the Metropolis Floor. “We’re in your head, Arne,” chanted the house supporters, who had been dreaming of a primary league double over the Merseysiders since 1962-63.

Slot’s modifications had been decisive on the Metropolis Floor (Michael Regan/Getty Photographs)

Slot’s post-match evaluation that it was “98 minutes of whole domination” was definitely overly beneficiant. Glad to let Liverpool have the ball after which counter when strikes broke down, Nuno Espirito Santo’s aspect had been snug within the opening 45 minutes, with Sels having little to do.

However the second half was a distinct story because the guests attacked with better vitality, high quality, function and composure. The modifications energised them. No membership has gained extra factors from shedding positions than Liverpool (14) within the Premier League up to now this season and it’s a must to admire the powers of restoration.

By the tip, the stats urged a mismatch: Liverpool’s anticipated objectives (xG) was 1.99 versus 0.31, 23 photographs to 6, seven on the right track to a few, 52 touches within the opposition field to 17, and 71 per cent possession. Forest didn’t muster a single shot after the 63rd minute. They had been hanging on by the tip.

Nonetheless, Liverpool will likely be kicking themselves that they took so lengthy to hit their stride. It was Jota who introduced them to life.

(Prime photograph: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC by way of Getty Photographs)