Slot hoping for big second half of the season from Diogo Jota following earlier injury | OneFootball

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is hoping Diogo Jota can finally put his injury nightmare behind him and help the Reds to their second Premier League title.

The 28-year-old forward has suffered from multiple injuries during his time at Anfield, but heading into the second half of the season, there is renewed hope that Jota can finally stay fit and play a pivotal role in Liverpool’s campaign.

And Slot, who acknowledged that while Jota’s injury record has been disappointing, the striker’s potential is too valuable for Liverpool to ignore, and he has placed his trust in Jota to deliver when it matters most.

He has now featured in Liverpool’s last eight matches, a sign that his fitness is improving after a lengthy absence due to a rib injury sustained during a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on 5 October. That injury kept him sidelined for 11 matches, but his return to the pitch is being carefully managed.

Most recently, he played his first 90 minutes in the FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley, marking his full comeback since that injury and scoring.

Slot has been clear in his approach to Jota’s rehabilitation, emphasising a tailored fitness programme for the striker. While all players follow an 80% common training regime, Slot revealed that the remaining 20% is individualised to meet each player’s specific needs. For Jota, this has included specialised gym work and gradual increases in match minutes to help him regain fitness.

“Building up his match fitness has been a process,” Slot said.

“You saw us build him up. Now he’s ready to play 90. It’s nice to have him available, so hopefully it stays like this. He’s a hard worker and tries to become a better player every single day. He’s a player who is good in both parts (attacking and defending).”

Jota has now started back-to-back games, first in the Carabao Cup first leg against Tottenham, and then in the FA Cup.

“Hopefully, he stays like this for the last four or five months (of the season),” Slot continued. “It’s true, like all the others, he’s someone I like to have in my squad. I like to have him available.

“He’s a threat when attacking, and he works really hard. Jota is an experienced player, which is one reason why he wore the armband [against Accrington]. I think he served the club the longest of the players on the pitch. Let’s hope he stays fit.”