Jota also netted both the goals against Arsenal in the midweek to help them reach the final of the Carabao Cup.
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Liverpool manager has heaped praise on forward Diogo Jota, opening up on what the Portuguese player has to do to turn into a world-class striker. Jota has been impressive this season for Liverpool, scoring goals for fun. He also netted both the goals against Arsenal in the midweek to help them reach the final of the Carabao Cup. Next up is a trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League, which Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp anticipates to be a “really tough game.” On their last visit to Selhurst Park in December 2020, Liverpool emerged as 7-0 winners. On Sunday though at Palace, a lot of spotlight will be on in-form Jota.
At his pre-match press conference, Klopp was asked how a player like Jota will become a world-class striker. “Work! But if you don’t have the basis, nobody can do or perform miracles in this department. Diogo came here and was an outstanding player, to be honest, but of course it helps – when you are a striker especially – when your team has a bit more possession than the former team maybe. And that’s already helpful. The players around help. But yesterday he had to do an awful lot to make it happen. So as good as the passes were from Trent, especially the second one, there was still a job to do,” he explained.
READ MORE – Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-0 to enter Carabao Cup final
“Diogo is a really impressive person, really grown-up and really mature young man. Loves obviously football, loves working, loves training and all these kinds of things, and that is very helpful. He was in the middle of the team after three or four weeks, so there was no time really needed for adapting to whatever. Yes, for the way we play a little bit, that took probably longest. But that process is finalised obviously as well. I am really happy for him, just that he can show up because if you have this quality it’s nice if you can show it in public and that’s what he did now a couple of times.”
Asked about the unlikeliness of repeating the 7-0 win achieved on their last visit to Palace, Klopp replied, “That was a one-off or whatever! Things like this that happen are like a freak of nature. It doesn’t happen usually. That day was incredible, we hit pretty much with each shot. They had chances but we hit everything. So, no, we don’t expect that game, that’s true. And yes, they changed and improved under Patrick, I have to say. They look like a really stable team now. I think system-wise didn’t change too much, 4-3-3 or whatever, but it’s a good team, a really good team.”
“I always liked the front line – all the players available for Crystal Palace were always good. When Townsend was still there, then Zaha, then Benteke and Ayew. Now Edouard, Gallagher obviously supporting everybody on the pitch, really lively boy. And good defence as well, all these kinds of things. It’s a really good Premier League team, with a few unlucky results I would say. It’s not that I now saw 20 games of Crystal Palace but I saw a couple and thought, ‘OK, that could have been the other way’ when they lost or drew. So we expect a really tough game.”
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