On Monday’s press conference leading up to the fourth round FA cup replay between Liverpool and Wolvers, Jurgen Klopp provided fitness updates on a few first team players.
A notable name from those players being key forward Diogo Jota, who has been out of the side since picking up a calf injury against Manchester City on October 16, 2022.
Even though he has not registered a goal this season, only playing 4 times in the league, Jota remains a prominent member of Liverpool’s forward line.
Klopp mentioned in the presser that he does not “know exactly how long Diogo will be out for, but he looks really good… He is out there on the pitch and doing a lot of stuff already but he will be out for another few weeks. In contention for the Champions League? From my point of view, yes.”
With Darwin Núñez, Roberto Firmino, Luis Diaz all injured and the incoming Gakpo still needing time to acclimate to the Premier League, Liverpool only have one fully fit and raring to go attacker in the shape of Mohamed Salah. The return of Jota will be major boost for the club as he brings back the much needed ‘defending from the front’ mentality that has been missing from Liverpool recently.
As most fans and Klopp himself would admit, there is no chance of winning the league. With the team already out of the Carabao Cup, all that is left to play for is the FA Cup, a top 4 finish in the league, and possibly another deep UEFA Champions League run.
If Liverpool have any chance of making such a run, they must first face record Champions League holders (13) and the team that has beat them twice in the past 5 years’ finals, the mighty Real Madrid. The return of Diogo Jota will be crucial if Liverpool want to make significant headway in those competitions.
