Liverpool take on Norwich City in the Premier League this weekend and Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Diogo Jota will be an absentee for this game.
Jota picked up a knock during Liverpool’s win over Inter in the Champions League in midweek and had to be taken off at half-time. Initially, there were reports that the forward is expected to miss this weekend’s clash only but now his manager has admitted that the extent of the injury is not known so Jota’s return date cannot be confirmed just yet.
Klopp told his pre-match press conference: “No, he will not be available but the extent is still not clear.
“We need further assessment. It’s something with some ligaments in and around the ankle, but not the ligament, some others. And so, pretty much everything is possible in the moment: that it will go really quick and the other way around unfortunately as well. So we have to wait.
“Everybody saw the picture with him in the boot, it’s a normal procedure; even when you just feel something they put you in that boot. For the weekend, for sure not.”
Diogo Jota can score with any part of his body 😤 pic.twitter.com/zeWMeLvJsG
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 11, 2022
Diogo Jota injury: Will he be a big miss for Jurgen Klopp?
Diogo Jota has been in superb form this season, scoring 12 goals in 23 Premier League games so he will definitely be a major miss on Saturday. But the manager will not be losing his sleep due to this injury.
Jota is the only Liverpool player who will miss out on Saturday and since the manager has both Origi and Firmino at his disposal, selecting a centre-forward will not be an issue for Klopp.
Firmino will start up front and if Liverpool can wrap up the game early, the manager will surely look to give Divock Origi some playing time in the second half.
But after the Norwich City game, Liverpool face the tricky Leeds United and then they take on Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final. If Diogo Jota was to miss these two games then surely Jurgen Klopp will be under some pressure since there’s no way Divock Origi can be fully trusted to play as the backup striker against some major opponents.
