Jota feels victory over Arsenal was crucial for Reds’ top four bid
Diogo Jota came off the bench to score twice in Liverpool’s win over Arsenal – a victory the forward believes is crucial in the fight to finish in the Premier League top four.
The reigning Premier League champions will not retain their crown this season but remain in the race for a Champions League spot following a convincing 3-0 success at the Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool dominated proceedings but did not break the deadlock until after Jota’s introduction on the hour.
The Portugal international headedinTrentAlexander-Arnold’s cross before wrapping up the points after Mohamed Salah had doubled Liverpool’s advantage.
Theyarenowtwopointsoff the top four and Jota is targeting victory in all of the remainingleaguegamestomakessure a top-four finish is assured.
“Very important,” he replied when asked how important the result was in the race for the top four.
“I said after the last game, to think about higher spots in the table we need to do our job which is to win every single game until the end. If we do that I think we have a chance to be there.
"I think if we do our job we have a high chance to be there becauseitisveryhardtowinin the Premier League.”
Jotaalsofeelstheresultand performance were the perfect way to prepare for Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash
with Real Madrid.
“It’s really important,” he said. “Everyone is working hardandwellandnowwehave that hard game against Real andwewanttodothataswell.”
Arsenal never looked like winning the contest and sorely missed the likes of Bukayo Saka, Granit Xhaka and Emile Smith Rowe – all out through a mixture of illness and injury.
Manager Mikel Arteta said
his side were “extremely poor” and the Spaniard has now demanded a reaction in their Europa League quarter-final tie with Slavia Prague.
Asked if he expected his players to show a statement of intent against the Czech Republic outfit, Arteta said: “Absolutely. This is the minimum that we can do, to perform at a completely different level on Thursday.
“What we do is talk on the pitch. To talk now on the cameras and say we’re going to do this or that, to try to find excuses because we don’t have this player or the international break cost us, it’s not good enough.”
*TheProfessionalFootballers’ Association has reiterated its call for the introduction of temporary concussion substitutes amid some confusion whenSheffieldUniteddefender George Baldock suffered a head injury at Leeds.
Baldock came off worst following his robust challenge on Leeds attacker Tyler Roberts, appearing to bang his head on theEllandRoadturfbeforebeing treated on the touchline as concussionchecksweremade.
He was sent back into the fray but was replaced by Ethan Ampadu five minutes later, with interim Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom explaining afterwards that Baldock was experiencing “blurred vision”.
ThePFAbackedtemporary concussion substitutes earlier this year and, in light of Saturday’sepisode,onceagainurged the International Football Association Board to bring in the measure for the start of the 2021-22 campaign.