Diogo Jota boost in Premier League title race: How Liverpool forward could help Arne Slot replace Darwin Nunez

Arne Slot watched on in frustration as his side dropped points against Fulham at Anfield on Saturday despite a spirited display after Andy Robertson was sent off in the first half.

There were positives to take from the draw, such as that Liverpool still command a two-point lead over Chelsea in the title race - while also having a game in hand - and that Jota made his comeback from a rib injury that had sidelined him since October 20th.

The Portuguese forward was only on the pitch for seven minutes when he scored the Reds' second goal in the 86th minute, and Lynch expressed his belief to Sports Mole that he could significantly reduce the team's reliance on Salah, saying: "He's absolutely crucial, and [his return to action] takes a bit of the pressure off Salah.

"I think he's probably Liverpool's second best attacker out of the collection that they've got, and to have got by without missing him for such a long time is a triumph for the team.

"It bodes well for what's to come, because if you can get him on the pitch more frequently with Salah, it makes Liverpool 10 times more threatening and to be more threatening than they already have been for the majority of this season - if he can do that, then [Liverpool] have got a chance to run away with this league."

Jota's strike against Fulham was the first goal since November 27 that Liverpool scored that was not netted or assisted by Salah, and so having the Portuguese back is no doubt a timely boost for Slot.

Can Jota succeed where Nunez has failed?

One of the main criticisms of Darwin Nunez during his time on Merseyside has been his lack of consistent end product despite his innate talent.

The Uruguayan has only scored twice in the Premier League this season in 645 minutes, and despite playing nearly 150 minutes less, Jota has found the back of the net three times in the league.

Lynch not only praised Jota's goalscoring prowess against Fulham but also his all-round game, telling Sports Mole: "I think the beauty of [Jota] is that as soon as the goal opens up, that ball is hit in the back of the net because he's absolutely ruthless in front of goal.

"I think [Jota] and Salah are level pegging in terms of this Liverpool squad as the out-and-out best finishers, but he's also a chance maker as well. Not just for other people, but for himself in terms of he did have a lot to do there [against Fulham] - the way he turns his defender and it opens up and he makes it look so simple.

"He's just an unbelievable footballer and someone who Liverpool haven't missed [because] the results have been really good, but he makes [Liverpool] a lot better and he will be the starting centre forward all the time that he's fit between now and May."

Admittedly, some of Nunez's problems in front of goal can be attributed to the fact that he has been been playing in more of a supportive role this campaign compared to last, but Jota's instinctive ability in and around the box will almost certainly guarantee him a place in the XI.

Can Jota be relied upon to win the title?

Though Reds fans adore Jota for his ability to find the back of the net and produce chances for himself, the attacker has been plagued by injury issues since his time on Merseyside.

The Portuguese has averaged just 16 90s worth of minutes played in each of his last four Premier League campaigns at Liverpool, failing to play more than 1,200 minutes in a league season three times.

When asked about whether Jota can help reduce the club's reliance on Salah, Lynch told Sports Mole: "He's crucial, and it's just that question mark over fitness. You hope that [his rib injury in October] was just a bit of bad luck.

"You hope that [Jota doesn't get injured again] between now and the end of the season, and if Liverpool can keep on top of him, make sure he doesn't get any of those muscle issues that have tended to plague him, then he's a nailed on starter."

Slot has reported that Jota will not complete 90 minutes against Southampton in the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening after picking up a minor issue against Fulham, but perhaps he would have been rested anyway for the Reds' upcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the Premier League.

Written by

Lewis Nolan