Diogo Jota Speaks Positively About His Recovery Progress

November’s Standard Chartered Player of the Month was injured in
the Champions League and pushes to return to the side

Speaking to Sam Williams
at , Diogo Jota has measured optimism
about his return to the squad.

“I’m doing my best to be back as soon as possible. Things are
going well but knee injuries are always complicated so we cannot
rush things, but I am doing well and I will be back on the field as
soon as possible.”

His injury interrupted an extremely promising run of form: he’s
scored nine goals already this season, a rate of 0.78 goals per 90,
impressive for a player brought in as a fourth choice. Though he
has no assists for Liverpool. his expected assists (xA) are 2.88 —
an important number to note, as it cannot be Jota’s fault is his
teammates finish fewer chances than expected. His immediate impact
on the side has led to discussions around scoring records seemingly
every time he took to the pitch, making his injury all the more
keenly felt.

The numbers he’s put up thus far have surely made his spell on
on the sidelines all the more difficult to take, as he’s been
pushed from making a clear impact every time out to being powerless
to help the much-depleted Reds.

“Now I am supporting from the outside it is not easy — it’s even
harder when you need to suffer as a fan and you can do literally
nothing to help the team on the field!”

Jota speaks to a frustration that all fans can certainly
identify with, and one which underscores his importance for Jürgen
Klopp’s side: while arguments about his deserving a place in the
starting XI quickly became ubiquitous, having a player who can
consistently score off the bench is always a benefit, and never
more so than in a campaign plagued by fatigue.

That he makes an impact on the side is an understatement, and
fans and teammates alike look forward to his return, and will be
pleased to hear that his recovery is going well.