Diogo Jota has put Roberto Firmino under ‘huge pressure’ to keep Liverpool place, says Rio Ferdinand
Jota has already scored 10 goals for club and country this season including seven for Liverpool, despite starting only five times for his new club
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Your support makes all the difference.Diogo Jota’s sensational start to life at Liverpool has piled the pressure on Roberto Firmino, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Jota has already scored 10 goals for club and country this season including seven for Liverpool, despite starting only five times for his new club.
The 23-year-old scored a brilliant hat-trick against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday in a 5-0 win, and Ferdinand believes the out-of-form Firmino is on the verge of being ousted from Jurgen Klopp’s first-choice front three, which he has been a part of for so long alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
“I’m sure Firmino will be sitting there compiling a little playback list to remind him [Jurgen Klopp] of what he’s capable of because Firmino, like it or not, will want to start and this guy [Jota] has put him under huge pressure,” said Ferdinand.
“[It was] a perfect night, Klopp couldn’t have asked for more: clean sheet, new partnership at centre-back, the forwards – the recruitment team have done fantastically well.
“He’s playing in a better team, probably had as many opportunities for Liverpool as he did for Wolves last season. It was almost like you had to have a big man in your team but here they’re three very similar players. They’re all the same height, hold the ball up so well.”
Michael Owen said Jota has earned the respect of his teammates with his performances.
“It's a stunning hat-trick, he missed his first big chance of the day but he learned his lesson. Then it was just a masterclass, particularly the front three,” said Owen.
“You want to get accepted by your team, the first thing I felt moving club, you have to earn respect of your team-mates. Got to gain the respect and get people passing to you when you’re under pressure. People are prepared to trust him, he’s a proper player.”
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