View: 55% Diogo Jota faces Liverpool axe, he underwhelmed vs Manchester United
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota risks losing his place in the side after his performance in the 3-0 win against Manchester United.
The 27-year-old has started all three Premier League fixtures under Arne Slot after recording a goal and an assist in the 2-0 victories against Ipswich Town and Brentford.
With Darwin Nunez waiting in the wings, Slot has a decision to make over the international break with Jota producing an underwhelming performance at Old Trafford.
Diogo Jota was poor for Liverpool v Manchester United
Liverpool are on a roll under Slot with three wins out of three in the Premier League, Mohammed Salah and Luis Diaz stole the show.
Jota, however, failed to impact the match and was a passenger as the Reds smashed three goals past their North West rivals.
He has rightfully displaced Nunez as the spearhead of the attack this season, with 2.7 shots on target per match leading to one goal and two big chances created leading to an assist already in the Premier League, Jota has been showing his best form for the Reds in the early weeks of the season [Sofascore].
In the first real test for Slot against United, Jota failed to get the basics right in Manchester, constantly finding himself two steps behind the Liverpool attack and positioning himself poorly in the final third.
At times, it could be argued that the Reds played with 10 men at Old Trafford, Jota managed just 27 touches throughout his 76-minute appearance and lost possession 15 times, he lost the ball 55 per cent of the times it was at his feet.
He also lost all 10 of his ground duels and a measly 29 per cent of his duels contested and looked well and truly a fragment of the player Liverpool supporters know he can be.
Jota was just as poor on the ball as he was off it, he managed just one off-target shot all match, failed in all his five dribbles attempted, and completed 65 per cent of his 11 passes.
Typically, he smells blood when facing a defence as fragile as Man United’s and could have easily bagged himself a brace had he positioned himself better in attacking scenarios when the Reds had their opponents by the throat in the second half.
The victory papered over the cracks of a lazy and shambolic performance from the forward and his place in the side will now be threatened with Nunez and perhaps new signing Federico Chiesa waiting for their opportunity.
Jota will need to use the international break to reflect on his performance at Old Trafford and right the wrongs or he could face an extended period on the Liverpool bench, should his replacement take the chance with both hands.
In other Liverpool news, how the Reds rated v Manchester United.
For more Liverpool women news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.