Pep Lijnders, Jurgen Klopp’s right-hand man at Anfield, has lavished praise on Diogo Jota’s attacking instincts as the Reds assistant gaffer admitted that Jota carried equal sway when compared to the star-studded frontline of Liverpool FC.
Jota has been an influential presence for Jurgen Klopp’s outfit since sealing the move to Merseyside last summer and after a return to the pitch from a knee injury, the Portugal international looks every bit of his previous self when in front of the goal.
Speaking to the club’s official website in a recent interview, Ljinders explained how Jota’s attacking qualities were difficult to teach before adding that the former Wolves star man possessed technical brilliance on the same level as the Firmino-Mane-Salah combine.
“Jota is on the same technical level as our front three – I said this before and the whole world can see it. Quick and being quick in mind is a lethal combination for a striker, he has ‘direction’ in his game,” said Lijnders.
“Diogo understands that it’s not about him, it’s about him, Sadio, Bobby, Mo, it’s about togetherness. It’s about Divock, Shaq, Ox, how they can all relate and help each other. Adapting to our pressing style isn’t easy but with him it goes very naturally.
“It says a lot how quick he adapted to the team and how quick the team adapted to him. It’s just pure quality as a team player and as a person.
“He has this positioning in the box where he is often on the right spot in the right time. This intuition in the box, this pure instinct, that is something that is so difficult to coach. I still find it really difficult to coach that attribute.”
The 23-year-old Jota was on the scoresheet last time around for the Merseysiders as Klopp’s under-fire men finally broke their losing run in top-flight action by scraping through a 1-0 win over Wolves.
Facing his former side, Jota put in a commendable showing in the Liverpool FC colours with a first-half stoppage-time strike from him earning all three points for the visitors.
