The manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Diogo Jota is an incredible package ahead of the Wolves vs Liverpool clash scheduled to kick off later today, December 4, 2021, at 16:00.
Recall that Diogo Jota joined Liverpool football club on September 19, 2020, from Wolves for a transfer fee worth €44.7 million.
Before the 25-year-old Portuguese left-winger joined Liverpool, the attack of the Merseyside club was controlled by Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane.
Then, the attacking trio was looking like an unbreakable bond due to how successful they were especially after helping Liverpool to win the UEFA Champions League in the 2018-2019 season, and the Premier League title in the 2019-2020 season.
However, Diogo Jota was able to break into the attacking trio during the 2020-2021 season even though he was not playing as regularly as the regular attacking trio.
In the 2020-2021 season, the Portuguese left-winger performed so well that he outscored Firmino even though he was absent for two months due to an injury.
So far this season, Diogo Jota has become almost an indispensable figure in Liverpool’s attack. He has already played 17 times in all competitions this season in which he scored 9 goals and provided 2 assists.
He has been so good this season that he has already outscored Firmino again and has leveled with Mane. He is currently the third-highest goalscorer in the Premier League behind Salah and Jamie Vardy of Leicester City.
Jota’s form has been so hot that he has scored three goals in the last two Premier League games – two goals in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Southampton on November 27, and a goal in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Everton on Wednesday.
He is expected to carry the form to Molineux Stadium, a place he called home between 2018 and 2020. Ahead of the game, coach Jurgen Klopp could not but praise how amazing the Portuguese star has been.
Klopp acknowledged that Diogo Jota was not scoring often when he was at Wolves because the club’s style of play hardly benefits attackers. The German tactician noted that he had to sign the Portuguese star because of the intensity of his game.
“I remember the first time I saw him I thought he could be a player for me because of how intense he was in all situations,” said Klopp.
“Technically he was on a really high level but the intensity he puts in makes all the difference as at our level all players have technical quality.
“You make a difference with your attitude and that was what I was most excited about adding Diogo to the mix.
“People said he didn’t score an awful lot of goals but the problem is Wolves had the most intense style of play for offensive wingers.
“[Raul] Jimenez was allowed to stay up but the rest had to cover the whole pitch and it costs you energy. And he was very young then.
“All that made it very interesting for us [and] it was clear he would make the next steps with us.
“What I didn’t know when I saw him first is Diogo is an incredible package.
“From a personality point of view, he is an incredible boy, really smart, structured nicely.”
📺 Jurgen Klopp on Diogo Jota:
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) December 3, 2021
"Diogo is an incredible package. His personality, he is really smart, organised, structured in a nice way. I remember when I saw him for the first time, I thought he could be a player for me." 🔴 pic.twitter.com/MsF2To6nJx
Diogo Jota’s contract with Liverpool will expire on June 30, 2025. He is expected to help Liverpool beat his former club later today.
Liverpool are currently sitting on the third spot on the league table with 31 points in 14 games, two points away from first-placed Chelsea.
This means that if Liverpool win Wolves, second-placed Manchester City, and Chelsea fail to win their games this weekend, Liverpool would become the league leaders.
