Darwin Nunes has not scored in his last 10 games for the club. Luis Diaz has just one point in his last eight games. Cody Gakpo is only 2 out of 10. These are the characteristics that Núñez, Diaz and Gakpo want to have now. This was never more evident than when Jota returned from injury last season. He initially struggled to make a comeback, and after an assist and two goals against Leeds in April, serious questions about him suddenly became a reality. “Half an hour later I sold Jota, took £25m and looked at the costs,” Jamie Carragher told the ECHO at the time. “Maybe if I’d done that, I’d be 30 by now.”Naturally, Carragher’s comments were met with a shrug. Jurgen Klopp knows how valuable Jota is to Liverpool.”I think the second goal shows what goals can help attacking players. They give us confidence,” Klopp said after scoring two more goals for Jota in the next game against Nottingham Forest (via This Is Anfield).“He proves once again that as a striker he can be in any defensive situation and still be a threat in attack. Neither/or can do both. The same goes for Diogo. That’s why he deserves it, because he’s so valuable to us.”Now that Jota has joined the squad, you’d think Liverpool would find a way to get past United on Sunday. At the very least, he can give one of his strikers a much-needed rest at this point. His return from injury is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Overall, a draw with Manchester United is not a disaster for Liverpool. After all, they are just one point behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and a win against the Gunners on Saturday could put them top in time for Christmas. But the stalemate at Anfield was worrying. It’s no exaggeration to say it looked like a rout, but that was the pre-match anticipation. It’s rare that Liverpool don’t get on the scoresheet these days, so we have to give them all the power they can get. But recent form shows why there should be no surprises against Manchester United.
Mohamed Salah’s record is obviously more productive, but the Reds cannot rely on the Egyptian every game. Sunday’s game showed just how much work is needed from Liverpool’s other forwards. Of course, getting in shape while waiting for a game isn’t easy. With Diogo Jota out through injury, there isn’t much room for a rotation up front at the moment. Not only does the Portuguese offer a versatile option to beat his attacking partners, but he has shown over the years a delightful ability to score goals even when he is not at his best.
