Neil Humphreys: Jota can take Liverpool into top 4
Portuguese forward provides the creative spark that Klopp's men have sorely missed
In one sweeping move, Juergen Klopp caught a glimpse of both Liverpool's successful past and a hopeful future.
His front three pressed again, quickly, forcefully and decisively. Sadio Mane found Diogo Jota and Jota found the bottom corner.
This was the kind of exhilarating football that Liverpool used to display. This is the kind of football that makes Champions League qualification a possibility.
And Jota can make it happen.
In truth, the Portuguese forward had been largely anonymous in the 1-0 win against his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday morning (Singapore time), struggling to match his nascent fitness with the game's patchy rhythms.
But his excellent finish, cutting inside and catching poor Rui Patricio off guard, seemed to exercise his muscle memory. There was a brief reawakening.
In the second half, Jota surged in the way that the Reds did towards their Champions League and English Premier League trophies.
He saw Wolves defenders not as psychological obstacles, but minor irritations to brush aside on his route to goal. He looked like a proper Liverpool player.
Naturally, he faded. A three-month knee injury can do that to anyone. But his attacking presence allowed the Reds to prosper in a fashion that can only lead to a long, depressing list of "if onlys".
If only Jota hadn't sustained an injury against Midtjylland on Dec 9. Back then, his initial burst of nine goals in 17 appearances felt par for the course, a decent return in a glittering franchise.
Today, such figures seem miraculous. Mathematicians might be able to plot a graph, demonstrating a direct correlation between Jota's injury and the Reds' subsequent decline. But the naked eye would do.
In the second half at Molineux, Jota's attacking instincts appeared to supersede his side's underlying mental frailties (which still exist and returned in the latter stages as they toiled to hold their lead).
PERPETUAL MOTION
He probed by default. His natural state of being is perpetual motion, always moving forward, always looking at the space beyond his marker.
Whether Jota proves to be a worthy successor to any of Liverpool's famed triumvirate is a debate for the end of the season. Right now, his assertiveness trumps the lot, especially Roberto Firmino.
The Brazilian striker is currently out with a minor knock. Klopp doesn't really need to expedite his return.
In the last two games, Liverpool's manager has leaned towards a kind of creative pragmatism. Perhaps the upcoming break helps, but he fielded unchanged line-ups against Wolves and RB Leipzig, and the stability showed.
A couple of settled centre-backs and Fabinho in his natural environment all contributed, but the Reds' intuitive interplay in attack was the most pleasing aspect of their recent performances.
Virgil van Dijk's absence understandably dominated headlines, but Jota's lost value is quietly reflected in the EPL table. The top three have comfortably outscored Liverpool's 48 goals. When fatigue took hold, they missed their forward's creative urgency.
As Klopp pointed out, Jota moves easily across the front three. Against Wolves, he was the nominal centre-forward, but drifted in search of the ball when the delivery from midfield left a lot to be desired.
He made the difference. How much difference he might have made in the title race is anyone's guess, but the current 25-point gap between Liverpool and Manchester City might have been conceivably closer.
But he's back and slowly returning to full fitness. Once again, the dynamo's timing looks impeccable.
Thanks to the upcoming international break, Liverpool do not visit Arsenal until April 4, giving Jota a lengthy period to prepare for the Gunners' flaky defence.
After that, three winnable games against Aston Villa, Leeds United and Newcastle United may leave the Reds in a very handy position before their crucial trip to Old Trafford on May 1.
They are still only five points off the top four. A week ago, the numbers felt like a chasm. With Jota back in the side and scurrying towards goal, the gap seems surmountable.
His winner at Wolves was his fifth goal across his last 10 EPL appearances, showcasing a consistency that none of his team-mates have matched over the same number of games.
When he's fit, he scores. And when he wriggles his way into the front three, the new Liverpool start to look a bit like the old one.
Hopes can be raised, if only tentatively. As long as Jota stays healthy, Champions League qualification is not a lost cause.
Klopp puts points over performance as Reds revive top-4 hopes
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said he had no problem with winning "three dirty points", after Diogo Jota scored against his former side Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 1-0 win at Molineux yesterday morning (Singapore time).
A wretched run of six successive home league defeats has left Liverpool with an uphill task to qualify for the Champions League next season.
But Klopp's men have now won six of their last seven games away from Anfield.
Victory moved the English champions back up to sixth and within five points of fourth-placed Chelsea.
"We defended well, we counter-attacked. A lot of really good moments... but most important, the three points. It's all about the result," Klopp said.
"It was a big fight. We won three dirty points, I am completely fine with that. We need that to get back on track."
Jota has been missed by Liverpool for much of the past three months due to a knee injury that halted his flying start to life at Anfield.
But the forward is hopeful his return can inspire a strong end to the season to secure Champions League football.
However, former Reds defender Jamie Carragher believes Klopp's men will miss out on finishing in the top four.
"I still don't believe Liverpool will get in the top four, they will just miss out," said the Sky Sports pundit.
"There's still a bit of a gap, but it was a massive result (against Wolves) for Liverpool, in terms of top four or potential top four.
"A lot of teams around there lost points at the weekend... still with a way to go."
A disappointing night for Wolves ended with a bigger concern than just the result, as goalkeeper Rui Patricio suffered a head injury following a collision with teammate Conor Coady in the closing stages.
However, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo allayed fears over the Portuguese international's health, saying: "He's OK. He's conscious, he remembers what happens, he's aware, so they tell me he's OK." - AFP, REUTERS
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