How do you breakup a world class front three? Ask Diogo Jota.

Liverpool’s £40 million summer signing was in sensational form again last night.

He took home the match ball after scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Serie A side Atalanta.

With seven goals in ten games the Portugal international is demonstrating why he deserves to be placed in the same category as Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane, by simply outperforming them.

 

Giving Klopp a headache

Currently Liverpool’s most in form player, Diogo Jota started to give Jurgen Klopp a lot to think about.

At this moment in time the 23-year-old must be close to establishing himself as a regular starter.

The Portuguese forward has now scored two more goals in 2020 than Liverpool’s number nine Roberto Firmino. This is despite only arriving on Merseyside in September.

The remarkable thing is over half of Jota’s appearances have come off the bench, so his record of seven goals in ten games is even more impressive.

Earlier this year it would have been unthinkable to even suggest breaking up Liverpool’s world class frontline. Ever since Mohammed Salah’s arrival in 2017 nobody has even come close to dismantling Klopp’s fab three.

But up step Diogo Jota. Questions were asked when Liverpool splashed £40 million (rising to £45 with add ons) on the former Wolves forward.

Why spend so much money on a player who would essentially be used as a back-up?

However, Liverpool’s new number 20 has shown why Jurgen Klopp splashed out the big bucks to bring him in.

Forcing his way into the Germans plans Jota adds that goal scoring touch that Roberto Firmino just seems to be missing at the moment.

More than just a forward?

The Portuguese has it all. He fits into this Liverpool team perfectly with his blistering pace and sensational work rate.

His ability to link play, to press the opposition, to dribble with the ball and most importantly to score goals has shown why the forward must now be a certain starter.

This is in no means a jab at Firmino. The number nine has been Klopp’s most used player since the German’s arrival way back in 2015.

When the Red’s manager was asked about dropping Firmino, he responded: “When the moment someone’s shining [Jota] we speak immediately about another player who had played what feels like 500 games in a row.”

Klopp’s response suggests that even he feels the 29-year-old may need a rest after playing so many games for the club.

His recent drop in form aligned with the fact that he’s only scored one goal this season suggests that the Brazilian may need a stint out the team.

Firmino is the player Klopp built his system around.

We all know the forward’s strengths but his poor performances over the past few months have started to become a real concern and Jurgen Klopp simply can’t ignore Jota’s prolific form.

Let’s be honest did any Liverpool fan care for Jota before his arrival on Merseyside?

Probably not, but I’m sure they’re now convinced that their new forward is arguably the signing of the season.

The 23-year-old has surely, if not already cemented his place as a regular starter and has achieved the remarkable feat nobody thought would be possible six months ago.

Dismantling Liverpool’s phenomenal front three.

(Image under creative commons by @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London)

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