Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has responded to Bruno Fernandes’ comments on his Instagram post after his headed goal helped Portugal to a win last night.
Fernandes used Jota’s post – a picture of him celebrating his goal last night – to laud the Liverpool striker’s heading ability.
“This head doesn’t fail,” wrote Fernandes in Portuguese. “On, the other, the feet,” replied Jota.
The pair’s complimentary comments about each other might not go down too well with some factions of the Manchester United and Liverpool fanbases. But they are teammates after all.
Jota recently spoke about how he is ‘always’ discussing Liverpool’s rivalry with Manchester City during international duty.
City have a number of Portuguese players and the club rivals are obviously close. That seems to extend to Fernandes too, although when the others are discussing the potential of a quadruple or a treble, the United man must feel a bit left out!
Fitting in nicely
In what is a star-studded cast for Portugal, Jota is proving himself to be one of the main men.
It was a big night for Fernando Santos’ side. Defeat would have meant missing out on a major tournament for the first time since 1998.
You would expect Jota to start given the way he has played for Liverpool this season. But Portugal do have excellent options in forward areas. To illustrate that, £113 man Joao Felix could only make the bench.
While they would usually turn to Cristiano Ronaldo in times like this, instead, it was the Liverpool man who provided a key moment.
His bullet header just before half-time further underlined the ability that Jota has in the air. The 25-year-old’s knack for scoring with his head is uncanny.
That was his ninth goal in 23 international caps. Whilst not a blistering record, it is still decent enough at a level that is notoriously goal-shy.
Representing the Reds in Qatar
Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are set to go head-to-head for just one World Cup spot. Luis Diaz’s Colombia are looking unlikely to qualify.
Roberto Firmino has been in and out of Brazil’s squads and may not make the squad for Qatar. With Portugal’s place at the finals also looking in doubt, it could have been that just one of Liverpool’s excellent front five would play on football’s biggest stage.
But Portugal are now one step away from the tournament. Beat North Macedonia and they’ll book their place.
Jota has been a key player during qualification, scoring five goals, all of them headers. Despite the depth of talent the country has, should they finish off the job, the Liverpool man will be a big part of any success they go on to have in Qatar.
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