Liverpool faces a significant setback ahead of crucial Premier League clashes with Manchester City and Real Madrid, with star forward Diogo Jota sidelined due to injury.
Jota, who sustained an upper body injury during Liverpool’s victory over Chelsea in October, was initially expected to return after the international break.
However, the recovery process has been slower than anticipated, and the Portuguese international is now set to miss additional matches, including the high-stakes encounters against City and Real Madrid.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed that Jota’s absence would extend beyond the upcoming match against Aston Villa.
While Slot remains optimistic about Jota’s eventual return, the timing of his recovery is uncertain. The club is hopeful that he will be available for the matches against Newcastle United and Everton in December.
In Jota’s absence, Liverpool has relied on Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz to lead the line.
Nunez scored the decisive goal in the Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, while Diaz netted a hat-trick in the 4-0 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen.
Additionally, the club has experimented with a more fluid attacking formation, as seen in their League Cup triumph over Brighton.
Beyond Jota, Liverpool is also dealing with injuries to Alisson Becker, Harvey Elliott, and Federico Chiesa.
These players are expected to return after the international break, but their exact return dates remain unclear.
