Liverpool put in a much improved performance during their Champions League last-16 second-leg against PSG.
The Reds knew they’d have to up their game despite taking a 1-0 lead into the return match at Anfield.
Thankfully, they responded, coming quickly out of the traps to show PSG that they were set for a much tougher night.
Things still didn’t quite go to plan, though. For all of their good early work, Liverpool found themselves behind early on.
The Reds steadied themselves from that point on and went blow for blow with the French champions.
But there were still some poor performances out there from those in a Liverpool shirt. And none was arguably worse than Diogo Jota.
Photo by Ryan Crockett/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Ryan Crockett/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Alan Shearer points out Diogo Jota struggles
Having been one of the worst culprits against PSG last week, it was a surprise to see Arne Slot select Jota once again for the second-leg.
Darwin Nunez was largely excellent against Southampton on Saturday, scoring a big goal and putting in a top second-half performance.
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Plenty of Liverpool fans had no doubt expected Slot to give Nunez the nod three days later. But the Liverpool head coach kept faith in in Jota, who started in the middle of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Unfortunately, it was no better from the Portuguese, who struggled to get any kind of foothold on the game. And after seeing Nunez prepare to come to replace him, Alan Shearer gave an honest verdict on Jota’s outing.
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“Frustrating evening Jota, it’s been tough for him tonight,” Shearer said for Amazon Prime Sport.
“Darwin Nunez just went to go and sit down on the bench and Arne Slot said no go and warm up. He’s just got back and I think he’s getting ready to come on.”
Jota playing himself out of the team
It wasn’t long after Nunez came on that Liverpool saw what they had been missing all evening.
The Uruguayan immediately ran in behind the PSG defence, asking questions of Marquinhos and Willian Pacho that Jota simply hadn’t been posing.
With the Carabao Cup final coming on Sunday, Slot now has a real decision to make over who starts at centre-forward.
Jota seems to have had the shirt, as his consecutive Champions League starts would suggest. But the 28-year-old has not capitalised on Slot’s show of faith in him.
Surely it has to be Nunez for the final.