Diogo Jota may have hinted at Liverpool’s plan to beat Chelsea when they travel to London on Sunday in the biggest Premier League game of both sides’ season so far.
The Portugal international has been in electric form this season and the only player in the league with more goals than him is Mohamed Salah (15) and his 10 strikes this season have come from a variety of angles and positions.
Headers, a Cruyff-turn and dagger-like finish against Everton, tap-ins to finish passing moves. They all have one thing in common though – each goal he has scored has come inside the box.
Jota is a poacher, a natural goalscorer and when the ball falls to him you expect him to put it away which is why he has become Jurgen Klopp’s preferred no.9 this season.
Liverpool looking to find space left by Chelsea but will need to be clinical
Speaking to the club’s official website, Jota has discussed Liverpool’s plan to unlock the Chelsea defence.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: “The opponent, whichever system they play always influences the gaps we try to find.
“It’s always hard when we are not sure how they’re going to play.
“Chelsea, we are not 100 per cent because we can never be that, but we know they’re going to play with three. So it’s up to us to know the spaces they leave and try to take advantage.
“It’s always hard when you’re not sure how they’re going to play, so that’s good.”
Jota, Mane and Salah will be key to exploit any space vacated
Jota says Liverpool are going to try and find the space that Chelsea’s three at the back system will leave so I think we can a lot of balls into the channel where hopefully we can see Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane run at the Blues.
If Liverpool can stretch the game and get Thomas Tuchel’s men on the backfoot instead of playing in front of them where they will be the most comfortable, the Reds will have their best chance of winning but they will need to be clinical with their chances.
Too often we have seen Liverpool not take the chances afforded to them within the first 25 minutes of games and then later it’s gone on to haunt them. That cannot be allowed to happen at Stamford Bridge.