David Lynch has suggested that Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes this season could rest on keeping one particular player fit for the rest of the campaign.
The Reds have returned to the summit of the table after a 2-0 win over Burnley in which the final scoreline didn’t reflect their dominance, with Diogo Jota coming off the bench and marking his return from injury by scoring the late goal which finally put the result to bed.
Taking to X just after the final whistle, the journalist posted: “Like so many of Liverpool’s recent performances, today raised questions over whether their attack is truly good enough to win the Premier League. The fact is, it probably isn’t without Diogo Jota, and so it’s absolutely crucial he stays fit for the remainder of the season.”
Like so many of Liverpool's recent performances, today raised questions over whether their attack is truly good enough to win the Premier League. The fact is, it probably isn't without Diogo Jota, and so it's absolutely crucial he stays fit for the remainder of the season.
— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) December 26, 2023
Having failed to score from 34 shots against Manchester United recently, and with only two goals to show from 10 shots on target tonight (Sofascore), concerns over the profligacy of Liverpool’s attack are legitimate.
The Reds’ cause won’t be helped by top scorer Mo Salah jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations next month and missing several of our matches, so the return of Jota from a muscle injury appears to have been perfectly timed.
The 27-year-old needed just six minutes on his comeback to register his ninth goal of the season on his 18th appearance (Transfermarkt), a refreshingly clinical strike rate which very much shows how pivotal his renewed fitness could be to our title hopes.
If the £140,000-per-week magician can continue to produce the goods during the Egyptian’s absence, and if his fellow forwards can also chip in with their share of the load, Liverpool could be in a good place to push hard for Premier League glory once the spring months roll around.
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