"He looks like he is better" - Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp heaps praise on 25-year-old star after FA Cup win
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has praised forward Diogo Jota for his performance against Nottingham Forest last night (March 20).
The Premier League giants traveled to the City Ground to take on the EFL Championship outfit in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.
Nottingham Forest fought hard and dealt well with their opponents' forays forward for much of the encounter. However, an excellent cross from Kostas Tsimikas in the 78th minute was finished by a lunging Jota to put an end to their resistance.
The Portuguese looked good throughout the game, getting two shots on target and laying out one key pass.
Speaking after the match, Klopp heaped praise on Jota for his "massive" goal. The German tactician said (as quoted by the Liverpool Echo):
“Oh what a player! What a boy! And this goal was exceptional. It was a good cross from Kostas (Tsimikas) but he stretched for it, reached and scored the goal obviously. It was massive.”
Klopp added that the 25-year-old seems to be getting back to his old self after a spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury last month. He stated:
“It just shows after his injury, he needed a little bit to get back on track and I hope he is really coming back healthy from the international break because he looks like he is better.”
Jürgen Klopp praised Liverpool’s battling qualities after they saw off a spirited display from Nottingham Forest:
The win against Nottingham Forest put Liverpool in their first FA Cup semifinal since Klopp's arrival at Anfield. They will take on Manchester City on April 16 for a spot in the summit clash.
Diogo Jota has been one of Liverpool's best players this term
Jota has been key to Liverpool's excellent season so far. The forward has helped lead his side's high-press whenever he has started and has been a strong influence on the Merseyside giants.
The matchwinner against Nottingham Forest was Jota's 19th goal of the season in 39 matches across all competitions. This makes him the second-highest scorer for Klopp's side in the ongoing campaign. He is only behind the prolific Mohamed Salah, who has 28 goals.
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Liverpool will certainly be leaning on him for more goals as they enter the most crucial part of the season. They are still alive in three competitions and are among the favorites to win them all to complete an unprecedented quadruple.