Diogo Jota Speaks Positivey 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 Liverpoolfc.com, 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.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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