Diogo Jota can step up and fill the sizeable void left behind by Mohamed Salah at Liverpool during the Africa Cup of Nations, Danny Murphy believes.
Salah is currently on international duty with Egypt in Ivory Coast and the superstar is expected to progress to the latter stages of the tournament over the coming weeks.
That would mean the forward wouldn’t return to club action until the second week of February at the latest, leaving Jurgen Klopp with a substantial selection headache.
However, Murphy, speaking after Liverpool’s 2-0 victory against Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup, suggested Jota can pick up at least part of the slack.
Diogo Jota can step in to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, Danny Murphy says
Salah is on international duty with Egypt at the AFCON and will miss several club matches
Praising Jota’s role in the result, Murphy told the BBC: ‘This was the calmness of Jota. He’s going to play a big role in the next few weeks with Salah being away.’
Jota was an impact substitute in the second half of the enthralling showdown and teed up Luis Diaz for the tie-clinching second goal deep inside stoppage time.
Shortly before Jakub Kiwior put through his own net after 80 minutes, Jota had rattled the crossbar with a looped header toward goal from a corner.
Arsenal were made to pay dearly for their profligate finishing, the visitors striking twice in the final 15 minutes to seal their spot in the fourth round of the competition.
‘The difference with the two squads, Liverpool’s firepower is better,’ Murphy added.
‘[Darwin] Nunez doesn’t stop getting in good areas and being an absolute pest to the opposition. He’s got all the attributes you need to score more goals than he has.
Murphy praised Jota’s role during the second half of Liverpool’s FA Cup victory against Arsenal
Jota had been introduced shortly before the hour mark and delivered an immediate impact
‘He keeps you at length.’
Post-match, Jurgen Klopp shared his pride with his players’ battling performance.
‘I’m super proud. It’s a super difficult draw,’ he said. ‘Maybe the most difficult we could have got. With all the things we had to consider coming here, Arsenal lined up slightly different, that was smart. We changed a bit at half-time.
‘We were really in the game in the second half. We scored the goals and brought the kids on. We fought for 95 minutes. We have a winter break now.’
Liverpool return to action against Fulham in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
