Dirk Kuyt has claimed that Diogo Jota was the ‘perfect signing at the perfect time’ for Liverpool when he arrived from Wolves in 2020.
The Portugal international is the Premier League’s second top scorer with 10 goals, behind teammate Mo Salah on 16, and it was the 24-year-old’s two strikes against Arsenal recently that sent us through to the Carabao Cup final.
“Jota was the perfect signing at the perfect time,” our former No. 18 wrote in his column for Liverpool’s official website.
“Hasn’t Diogo Jota stepped up well in Salah and Mane’s absence?
“His goals at Arsenal, of course, secured Liverpool’s spot at Wembley, and it was hugely encouraging to see him as such a goal threat even when playing out wide.
“Jota probably prefers and has better opportunities to score when he’s playing in the centre of the front line. But players up front these days can play in every position and still be effective in the penalty area.
“That said, it can be difficult to be shifted out wide when you’re a striker by nature. Obviously everyone knows I arrived at Liverpool as a centre-forward and was used there by Rafa Benitez during my first season.
“I was the club’s top scorer in the Premier League in 2006-07 but was then put out on the right for the following campaign. You’ve got to change your mindset because the team asks something different from you.
We’ve performed well in the absence of two of our main men.
Both Mo Salah and Sadio Mane are still representing their national sides at AFCON and we’ve remained unbeaten whilst they’ve been in Cameroon – we’ve failed to win just one game, the 0-0 draw in the first leg of our EFL Cup sem-final with the Gunners.
Kuyt claimed that our No. 20 is ‘incredibly important’ and someone that will help the side as we push for more silverware.
“Anyway, I think in Klopp’s system every attacker – even those out wide – has many possibilities to score goals. Jota and Oxlade-Chamberlain have proven that in the last week or so.
“What a great signing Jota has been. His arrival in September 2020 just gave the feeling that even the top players – the brilliant front three – had to fight for their place in the team. Competition like that is so helpful.
“He’s incredibly important for Liverpool and scores important goals, too – a handy trait for sides going for trophies.
The Dutchman was a quality player and a real fan favourite at Anfield and was someone that always gave his all – the 41-year-old scored 71 goals in 285 appearances for the Reds.
Hopefully Jota, alongside new signing Luis Diaz, can perform well in the second half of the season as we continue our hunt for four separate trophies.