Diogo Jota Stats: Liverpool’s Most Underrated Player?

Published at May 1st, 2022 byAlex McMahon

Photo Credit: AP

Liverpool’s decision to sign Diogo Jota for over £40 million raised eyebrows. Diogo Jota stats have soon proved such scepticism to be ill-founded.

Jota has gone from useful depth behind Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to an integral member of the squad, a player who can slot into any role without a noticeable drop off.

Not only a nuisance for Premier League defenders, Jota has also contributed nine goals in 24 caps for Portugal.

He adapts to what his team needs from him better than most, and his skillset makes him a brilliant complementary piece in a side whether alongside Mo Salah, Bruno Fernandes or Raul Jimenez.

Jota’s list of honours is not befitting of his quality. He’s won the Nations League, EFL Cup and the Championship. Luckily, playing in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool means he’s very likely to add to that haul in the coming months with the Reds targeting a quadruple.

There are suggestions of Sadio Mane winning the Ballon d’Or and Salah being crowned PFA Player of the Year, and while Jota won’t reach those heights, his role in this Liverpool side cannot be overstated.

Liverpool have shrewdly built depth. Jota was one of the first significant moves on that path, giving Klopp a proper alternative to the much-celebrated Firmino, Mane, Salah trio.

Jota Key To Success?

With Luis Diaz arriving in January, Liverpool are not lost even if two of their famed front three are out. That’s quite a turnaround from just a couple of years ago, when an injury to Firmino, Mane or Salah seemed like a knockout blow for Klopp’s side.

The Jota we saw at Wolves is not the same player in the red of Liverpool. He was at 0.32 and 0.38 expected goals per 90 in the Midlands. That figure has been 0.53 and 0.65 since the transfer.

Part of this is playing on a stronger team, but this is also a sign of Jota’s development and Klopp putting him in a position to succeed.

Diogo Jota

Jota works harder than most, as is demanded of any Klopp player. He’s a willing runner off ball and a relentless presser out of possession.

While not gifted with great creative talents, the Portuguese international still manages to link up play and take part in the build up when required.

Diego Jota stats show Liverpool got a real bargain. He’s the latest in a long line of Anfield transfer success stories.

Praise From Klopp

When Liverpool beat Watford at Anfield in April 2022, Klopp was full of praise for the former Porto forward.

The ex-Dortmund manager said, “It was always clear that Diogo is not a pure winger, Diogo is a striker who can play on the wing and defend the wing. Both wings, thank God. He played for us all three positions up front and did always really well.

“He is that guy. It was for sure always in him, I said it a couple of times, at Wolves he had a different job and he did that job that good that we thought, we want him. And since he came in he improved a lot.

“That is a little to do with his age, he is growing into the top world-class striker role step by step and he is delivering for Portugal pretty consistently which is a difficult job to do with all the offensive talent they have, so he is actually the player we thought he would be and also a little bit better.

“In a game like this it is really important that the boys played the game and not the position. That means you have to end up in these kinds of situations.

“Where we struggle sometimes is being too static. This (first goal) was a very fluent situation where Diogo was high up, a great cross and then if there is nobody there it is just a cross with no outcome. A great goal.”

Liverpool know they’ve got a gem in Jota, but his status with Portugal is less clear.

Competition For Places With Portugal

Jota’s form for Liverpool has elevated his status with the national team, adding to Fernando Santos’ selection dilemma in attack.

Santos is spoilt for choice in the final third, and he was criticised for not starting Jota when Portugal faced France in the Nations League.

Santos explained the call, saying, “As I said before, this team played in France and did very well there. And I don’t remember someone asking me why Diogo Jota did not start the game.

“Jota is definitely a top-quality player, everybody knows that. So is Bernardo, and the same goes for Cristiano. And Joao Felix, too.

“If Jota had played and the team’s performance wasn’t good, you would ask me why Bernardo or Felix didn’t play as Felix is in top form at Atletico Madrid and Bernardo is Bernardo. That’s normal.

Diogo Jota

“I understand your question and I am alright with it. It’s normal to listen to these questions after the game. But I don’t believe this was our problem.

“We had collective issues and we couldn’t stop France playing. And perhaps one or another problem in the midfield, too.”

Jota has proven to be effective off the bench in the past, which perhaps works against him for Portugal. He’s a player destined to be in the shadows in the next couple of years, such is the quality of competition for places he faces at club and country.

Does any other player have to deal with such high calibre positional rivals? While it could be a point of frustration for the Porto native, Klopp will be quietly pleased to see him kept fresh for club duty.