LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Mohamed Salah played like a man who missed out on World Cup qualification as Liverpool scored 10 consecutive Premier League victories in a 2-0 win against Watford at Anfield, but the Egyptian forward struggled to shake him. Qatar 2022 disappointment, Diogo Jota once again showed he can step up when his more famous teammates fail to deliver.
Jota's first-half header from Joe Gomez's cross - his fourth major goal this season - gave Jurgen Klopp's side a hard-fought lead in a hard-fought victory before the Portugal international won a penalty (awarded after VAR interference) 86 minutes later . Foul by Juraj Kukka. Fabinho's successful spot kick sealed Liverpool's victory on Saturday.
Until that stage, Salah was watching from the substitutes' bench after being replaced by Sadio Mane on 69 minutes. Four days earlier, Salah had seen his Anfield strike partner score the deciding spot kick as Senegal defeated Egypt on penalties to win the World Cup playoffs and qualify for Qatar. To ease Salah's misery, he missed his penalty in the shootout.
Klopp confirmed before the Watford game that Mane had asked Liverpool to cancel their traditional ceremony of congratulating players who had qualified for the World Cup in Salah's respect. "They're good boys, good people," said the manager. "They will both consider each other as friends."
Less than two months earlier, Mane had won the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal with another penalty shootout winner against Egypt, and Klopp said in the days after that game that Salah was dealing with despair, it was Saying it was "really hard". 29 years old To suffer an equally heavy blow so soon afterwards - one that may have denied Salah his last chance to play in the World Cup as Russia's 2018 campaign was marred by the effects of a shoulder injury - will undoubtedly weigh heavily on Salah. , and it was clear against Watford that the forward was nowhere near his best form.
For the second consecutive Premier League game, Salah failed to register a single shot on goal and did little to test Watford's defence. Every player has days off, even top talent like Salah, but Liverpool are still chasing a quadruple target this season, giving them their talisman to overcome their World Cup hangovers quickly. Is required.
Yet if you analyze Salah's form since returning from his AFCON campaign, he has scored just five goals in 11 appearances for Liverpool. Before the AFCON tournament, Salah had scored eight runs in 11 games, so there has been a statistical drop-off. But with his goals since returning from AFCON duty coming against Leeds, Norwich, Brighton and an Inter Milan, he has also lost his lead in Liverpool's big games.
Whether his contractual status is proving to be a distraction – his deal expires in 2023 and no new agreement is in place – would only advise advice, but he has undoubtedly faced two major career disappointments in recent weeks, So it makes sense that their attention is consequently affected.
The good news for Liverpool and Salah is that the coming weeks are packed with big games - Manchester City in the Premier League and the FA Cup, Benfica in the Champions League quarter-finals - so he won't have to go looking for inspiration to pull them out. of his recession. But if Salah is unable to rediscover his form and sharpness in the coming weeks, Liverpool could at least know that Jota is ready, ready and capable of filling the void - a point he has made as his key goal. made together.
"Jota is on top," Klopp said. "He's really decisive. Great cross; great header."
Like Salah, Jota has also scored five goals in his last 11 appearances for Liverpool, but he is not playing with Salah's previous record. While Salah is performing poorly, Jota is arguably going beyond expectations. And their goals are proving to be important goals. The Portugal international scored both in a 2–0 win against Leicester and also won important openers in wins against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest (in the FA Cup) and Watford in this game.
Any manager will happily take all kinds of goals from their forward, but when they score to break the deadlock in a tight game, the goal is overweight, and Klopp will be pleased that Jota has scored the team he needs. Having developed a habit of doing so. This the most.
There is no doubt that Salah will need to get closer to his best form in the coming weeks if Liverpool are to win the Premier League or the Champions League. He has performed at the highest level before and you will never rule out a case of doing it again. But when Salah deals with the rage of missing out on AFCON glory and World Cup qualification, Liverpool can count on Jota. And that's why they are now one step closer to an unprecedented quadruple.