With Diogo Jota slated to be missing two months of action due to a knee ligament injury, Liverpool could be without their in-form No. 20 for around 15 games.
Jota is facing a lengthy spell out after a nasty blow to his knee during Saturday’s 4-1 win at Brentford, with sources in Portugal suggesting a two-month layoff.
While a season-ending injury has been ruled out, Record claim that damage to his ligament will rule the No. 20 out for a long period.
• READ: Diogo Jota injury latest – Bad news but ‘worst-case scenario’ ruled out
Liverpool await the results of a further scan this week before any final diagnosis is made, but Jurgen Klopp is now forced to plan for months without his free-scoring forward.
If Jota is out for two months, these are the fixtures he could miss:
That fixture list could be further complicated if Liverpool progress through the rounds of the FA Cup.
The quarter-finals are slated for March 16/17, which would require the Merseyside derby to be moved, while a semi-final would be pencilled in for April 20/21, when the Reds are due to travel to Fulham.
If Jota is out for two months, a potential return could be set for the weekend of that Fulham clash, though Liverpool will be cautious over his recovery.
There are only four Premier League games after the trip to Craven Cottage – West Ham (A), Tottenham (H), Aston Villa (A) and Wolves (H) – along with the FA Cup final and the semi-finals and final of the Europa League.
While Jota may not be expected to play a big part in Liverpool’s run-in, therefore, he could still have time to make his influence felt at a decisive stage.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
