Paul Merson is fully expecting £45m Liverpool player to start vs Arsenal on Sunday

Add as preferred source on Google

Jurgen Klopp will give an indication as to who he expects to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah at Liverpool on Sunday.

The Reds are set to be without Salah for the next month or so, as he aims to win AFCON with Egypt. With the 31-year-old in terrific form right now, that’s a blow.

Liverpool’s first test without their talisman is a big one too. They head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal in the FA Cup third round this Sunday.

Talk has been rife of who might step up and replace Salah while he’s away. And writing his weekend predictions for Sportskeeda today, Paul Merson thinks he now knows who Klopp will go with.

“Everyone rests players for the cup games, but when two Top Six teams play against each other, it could be a different story,” Merson explains.

“Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo for this one and that could be a big issue for Jurgen Klopp. Salah is on a different level and those are big shoes to fill, but Diogo Jota is a decent player and should slot into the right-wing role in the Egyptian’s absence.”

Merson backs Jota to start

Jota has started the last two matches from the bench and come on to make an impact in both. As a result, we’d suggest that Merson may be absolutely right here.

Since returning from a month out injured, the 27-year-old has looked very sharp. Add into the mix the fact that he absolutely loves playing against Arsenal, and you’re onto a winner.

In the three-and-a-half years since his arrival at Liverpool, Jota has scored seven goals against the Gunners. That’s more than against any other side.

Having been unavailable for December’s game with Mikel Arteta’s side, the £45m man missed his chance to add to that. He’ll want to do so here.

Whether or not that will see him come in like-for-like for Salah, we’ll have to wait and see.

All being right-footed, none of Liverpool’s four remaining forward options are a natural replacement for Mo. But all can probably do a job there.

If we’re sticking our necks out, we’d predict to see Luis Diaz continue on the left after a fine display against Newcastle. Darwin Nunez may get a rest, with Cody Gakpo coming in through the middle, and yes, Jota on the right.

As all good Liverpool front three’s are though, they should all be interchangeable. Without Mo, Jurgen will surely be working up something to that effect on the training ground. Whatever he’s cooking, Jota will be central to it.