Diogo Jota double keeps alive Liverpool’s slender top-four hopes
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A week ago, there were questions about where Diogo Jota will fit into Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reboot.
It was purely mathematics. Klopp suddenly had a full contingent of strikers for the first time this season and Jota had not scored for a year. Most anticipated Darwin Nunez the preferred option.
Not yet. Four goals later and the Portuguese striker has shown what Liverpool missed during his mid-season absence. His two goals in a chaotic second half against Nottingham Forest mean Liverpool retained slender hopes of a top four finish with a 3-2 win.
In keeping with their season, it was an erratic victory. There is no doubting Klopp’s firepower, but defensive vulnerabilities ensured Steve Cooper’s side twice fought back and forced Liverpool to play down the clock in the final moments.
Forest did not look like relegation fodder, defensively resolute for 46 minutes, and dangerous when they released the shackles in their regular pursuit of an equaliser.
Their downfall was an inability to defend set-pieces, all three of Liverpool’s goals from such a source. Jota headed Liverpool ahead early in the second half after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner was not dealt with. He pounced on Andy Robertson’s free-kick for his second. Mohamed Salah was the beneficiary of Alexander-Arniold’s delivery for what proved the winner.
Cooper will be livid that came two minutes after Morgan Gibbs-White’s volley made it 2-2. Neco Williams had scored early against his old club.
Forest hopes of a point here were eventually snuffed out. They will take confidence from the performance given their fate is still far from sealed.
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