Liverpool: Goal hero Diogo Jota will get even better, says Klopp
Diogo Jota has enjoyed a positive start for new club Liverpool and the forward's display against Sheffield United came as no surprise to Jürgen Klopp.
Jürgen Klopp believes Diogo Jota can only get even better for Liverpool after the player's match-winning header against Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday. Jota headed in a 64th-minute winner at Anfield, where the champions came from behind, needing Roberto Firmino to cancel out Sander Berge's early penalty.
Jota emulates Mané
Signed from Wolves in September for a reported £41million, Jota became the first Liverpool player since Sadio Mané in 2016 to score in each of his first two Premier League home games for the club.
Klopp handed Jota a place in the starting XI just behind his usual front three – Mané, Mohamed Salah and Firmino. The Liverpool manager said he was happy with the 23-year-old's performance. "He's such a likable person. It's so easy to like him and it makes everything and the player is quick here," he told reporters. "It's the physicality, really strong, can be as good in the air and the ground. A lot of good things [from him]. So that is exactly the quality we need and that helps a lot."
Klopp added: "Jota scored a super goal and was really involved in the game, and he can be much better 100 per cent and that's good news."
Merseyside clubs top the table
The win saw Liverpool end a two-game winless league run and join rivals Everton, who top the table, on 13 points. And while Jota impressed, Klopp said the Portugal international's display came as no shock.
“Not sure surprised. He still adapting so a lot of things at the moment that we do are not natural to him, but it's only because he was placed different," he said. "But a lot of things that he did for Wolves are exactly what we want him to do. So yes, that he is that close already, it's just a sign of how good a player he is. And yeah, if he stays fit, he's 23, the future's bright, let me say like this. And we will need his quality and I'm really happy that he settled nicely so far."
No rest for Klopp's Reds
Liverpool are back in Champions League action at home to Midtjylland on Tuesday before hosting West Ham four days later.