It’s time Liverpool pencilled in the Diogo Jota return for February 6th

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Liverpool should pencil in Diogo Jota for his big return in February. There’s no date finer than the 6th for a decisive moment in the season.

Diogo Jota should return in February, according to The Athletic’s James Pearce. That’s a blow – there’s no other way to describe it.

Liverpool desperately need the Portuguese forward back as they battle not just poor form, but poor goalscoring form.

The Reds haven’t won in their last four Premier League games. Even more worryingly, though, is that they haven’t scored in their last three. That hasn’t happened for nearly 16 years.

Jota could bring two things, then. He could provide goals himself, of course, but he’d also allow more freedom in attack.

Jurgen Klopp could experiment with different formations and combinations as he tries to get the best out of his struggling forwards. Without Jota, the boss kind of has to stick with what he’s got.

There just isn’t enough depth to play around with.

But if Liverpool have to wait until February anyway, they should pencil in one date for Jota’s return: February 6th.

Defining

Liverpool’s game on Sunday was the biggest of their season so far. It ended in a 0-0 draw with Manchester United – a disappointing result for both sides.

Next month, though, will likely see an even bigger clash. It comes on February 6th (you might have guessed) and it’s at home to Manchester City.

City are in fine form – the best in the Premier League, in fact. They arguably look like title favourites and Liverpool will host them in a true title fight.

Winning or losing will have a huge effect on the race as a whole. For everyone involved, in fact, not just Liverpool and City.

Thus the Reds need to get Jota ready for that game. Don’t prioritise rushing him back and don’t prioritise any other fixture.

Get him ready to face City as a priority, for making sure he’s fit for that one means so much more than any other game around it. By all means, play him in other games but do it with getting him fit in mind.

It’s against City, though, that we should want to see the very best of Jota.

We can’t mark it in yet as we don’t know if it’s possible that Jota is ready. But if there’s any chance, pencil that one in for his big return.