Liverpool were 2-0 winners over Wolves on Wednesday night and there were signs of the old Reds returning, and Liverpool journalist James Pearce has credited one star for making a difference at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side opened the scoring late in the match after Diogo Jota put a loose ball onto the head of Virgil van Dijk and that was not the only impact the former had on the match.
The Portugal international’s off-the-ball play was noticeable, bringing energy and enthusiasm to Liverpool’s press.
Jota’s return to fitness has given the Merseyside club a massive boost and James Pearce believes the forward has made a difference for the Reds and will continue doing so as he builds up a rhythm.
Writing in his piece for The Athletic, Pearce said about Jota’s impact: “His return to fitness in recent weeks has provided a welcome boost. Having missed so much football, he’s understandably needed time to build some rhythm, but Wednesday’s win over his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers represented a significant step forward for him.
“Jota’s last contribution of the night was a decisive one. Reacting smartly after Jose Sa had produced a sprawling save to deny Virgil van Dijk, he turned the ball back across goal for the Dutch defender to power home a header and open the scoring.
“When Jota was replaced by Cody Gakpo soon after, there was a bear hug from his manager as the jubilant Kop showed their appreciation for the tireless 76-minute shift he had put in.”
The next thing on Jota’s do-to-list is to score a goal, which would be his first in nearly 11 months.
Liverpool are now just six points off the top four with a game in hand and if the Portugal international can start finding the net again, they may have a chance after being written off by many.