Diogo Jota will be challenging Roberto Firmino for a starting spot ‘pretty quickly’ insists Graeme Souness, as Jamie Carragher claims £41m new boy is ‘repaying his fee’ after scoring his second Anfield winner in a week to send Liverpool top
- Diogo Jota scored a late winner to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory over West Ham
- Jamie Carragher believes the forward is pushing Roberto Firmino for his place
- Graeme Souness also said the Portugal international is repaying his £41m fee
- Jurgen Klopp’s side went top for the first time this season after Jota’s winner
Graeme Souness believes Diogo Jota will quickly be challenging Roberto Firmino for his place in the Liverpool team after scoring another late winner at Anfield.
The forward came off the bench to put the Reds 2-1 ahead against West Ham after Mohamed Salah had levelled from the penalty spot in the first half following Pablo Fornals’ opener for the visitors.
Jota now has three goals in three games for Jurgen Klopp’s side after he scored the winner against Sheffield United last weekend before adding another in the Champions League against Midtjylland on Tuesday.
Diogo Jota came off the bench to score the winner as Liverpool beat West Ham 2-1 on Saturday
Graeme Souness believes Jota will soon be challenging Roberto Firmino for a starting place
And Souness believes the forward won’t be far away from challenging Firmino for his place in Liverpool’s starting XI.
‘I would imagine pretty quickly he will be challenging Firmino for a starting spot,’ said the Sky Sports pundit.
‘Why not? He’s got goals, he got a goal in what every three games at Wolves. And now he’s in a better team so that should improve. I like him a lot, 23-years-old, he can only do better.’
Firmino failed to attempt a shot or create a single chance in 90 minutes against West Ham
Firmino has often been criticised for not scoring enough goals for Klopp’s side and the striker did not attempt a shot or create a single chance against West Ham, the first time he has failed to do so in a home Premier League game in over two years.
The Brazilian has one goal and two assists in ten games across all competitions this season.
Jamie Carragher added that Jota provides the Reds with more of a goal threat.
‘I don’t think anyone’s calling for Firmino to be dropped as such but Bobby Firmino is not a huge goal threat,’ said the former Reds defender.
‘At times he’s in the team for different aspects of his game and I think that’s his pressing, supplementing the wide players but you still want goals from him and assists. If Jota is bringing that you can put Salah or Mane up front or one of them on the right. It gives that extra goal threat sometimes Liverpool lack.’
The Portugal international now has three goals in three games for Jurgen Klopp’s side
Carragher also said the Portugal international is starting to repay the £41million fee that was spent on him in the summer transfer window.
‘What raised eyebrows on Jota was the fee, it’s a good price tag for someone who initially comes in and supplements the front three.
‘I thought the bid would be about £30-35m, when I saw £41m I thought that was a sizeable fee. But then it looks straight away he’s repaying that fee in terms of goals.
‘He’s a huge upgrade for Liverpool’s backup, and the fact that we’re having a discussion about someone who could break up Liverpool’s front three shows it’s a major addition because we would never have had that conversation last season.’