Diogo Jota uses Cristiano Ronaldo’s ketchup analogy to see him through Liverpool goal drought

Diogo Jota says that he’s using Cristiano Ronaldo as inspiration to end his goalscoring drought.

The Liverpool forward has endured a torrid campaign due to injury with a calf problem seeing him make just four Premier League appearances before February.

Jota has endured a frustrating campaign due to injury and a lack of form

Getty

Ronaldo hasn’t had too many barren goalscoring runs over his career

As a result, the 26-year-old is yet to get off the mark for the campaign, despite making 19 appearances so far.

He will be hoping to end that against Leeds on Monday night – a game that is live on talkSPORT.

While his lack of end-product can be put down to his lack of fitness and Liverpool’s poor form, Jota is keen not to get too down-hearted about his strike rate, but admits: “It is really annoying.

“Obviously I don’t want to finish the season without scoring a goal but I still have a few games so I try to get the focus to what I can do on the pitch to be in those decisive moments.

“That will be the key factor, I think, for me because if I start to think too much about it then it won’t help, for sure.”

One player who Jota has looked to for inspiration in his barren run is Portugal teammate Ronaldo whom he recalls having a saucy way of keeping his confidence up during such dry spells.

Jota said: “I know that football is a game that can change very quickly and I once heard a story and Ronaldo certainly wasn’t 30 games, but he had a number of games without scoring and people were asking him.

GETTY

Jota is keen to end his barren run before the end of the season

Declan Rice excited by potential Arsenal move as Newcastle enter race for West Ham star

Man United fans spot Antony’s change in facial expression when Maguire joins celebration

Liverpool boost as Bellingham ‘would prefer to stay with Dortmund’ than make wrong move

Paul Mullin hails Conor McGregor for Wrexham decision amid ‘absolute magic’ at the club

Woods laughs at O’Hara’s attempt to mock Arsenal with a pie instead of a crumble

Roy Keane left Man United pals in hysterics with dig about Newcastle slipping up

“He was saying that it’s almost like ketchup. When the first drop comes out, everything comes out so hopefully that’s the case for me as well.”

Ronaldo used that analogy back in 2010 when he was on a 16 month run of no goals with the Portugal team.

That was in the run-up to the World Cup in South Africa, before eventually breaking that run with a goal against North Korea.