Arne Slot couldn’t hide his joy as Diogo Jota finally brought an end to his goal drought, netting the decisive goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby clash with Everton. Jota fired the only goal of the game at Anfield after clever work from Luis Diaz.
Jota has had to confront another season marred by injuries, with this being his ninth goal of the season and sixth in the Premier League.
Nonetheless, he cast aside any lingering concerns with a sterling display against Everton, his crucial contribution sealing Anfield’s jubilation as the Reds reaffirmed their 12-point advantage atop the Premier League, ahead of Arsenal.
Reeds boss Slot was brimming with pride over Jota breaking free from his goal-scoring troubles, remarking on the boost it gave the team. “Very pleased. He was close to it already in the first half,” said Slot, reflecting on the Portuguese’s persistence.
“I think it was after seven, eight or nine minutes It was not a surprise that they blocked that shot. Defensively Everton is an incredibly strong team. For him to come up in the second half, he had two of these moments as well and the other moment was blocked.
“Now he found just a bit of space and he scored the goal, which was nice for him but nice for us, the teammates, the staff and the fans.”
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The player himself conceded last month that he wasn’t exactly in top form for Liverpool following a battled spell with injuries. He said ahead of the PSG clash, “It’s been a difficult season for me personally. Obviously these last few months are the ones that matter the most, where you decide things. I don’t feel I am at my best at the moment. But certainly by playing I will get there.”
“And I always try to do my best no matter what. You never know [how long it takes]. It’s football, I don’t play alone. It is not an individual sport so there are a lot of things you can’t control yourself, but one thing you can control is to give your best and that’s always what I do on the pitch.
“I don’t know (when I was last at my best). Obviously sometimes you can have bad games. Sometimes not only the stats, but the way you can connect to your team-mates and the way you can help the team defensively and how you can help the team get the win.”
“That’s what I try to do every time I am on the pitch. As a striker, I want to get involved in scoring goals and creating those opportunities. Every game is a new opportunity to do that.”
