Jurgen Klopp rules out Diogo Jota for most of season in huge injury blow
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Diogo Jota will be ruled out "for months" after sustaining a knee injury against Brentford.
The Portuguese forward was stretchered off against the Bees and after further testing will now be out until at least April. He picked up the issue during the first-half of Liverpool's 4-1 win.
Reports from Jota's homeland suggested that he had avoided a long-term knee issue, but that he would be sidelined for two months, news that Klopp has now confirmed.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of his side's clash with Luton, the German boss said: "With Diogo it will take months [not weeks]. I couldn't say a timeframe even if I wanted to. That is just how it is. When you don't have these players it makes no sense [to speculate]."
Jota's knee issue is the latest blow for Liverpool in what has been an injury-hit campaign for Klopp's side. Speaking further on the Reds' other issues, he said: “I would like to sit here and say we have absolutely no issues but obviously we have some.
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“So, not available is obviously Ali [Alisson], that’s a muscle injury where we don’t know exactly how long it takes but definitely not for foreseeable time coming back. Then we have Diogo [Jota] with a knee issue, is ruled out. Curtis [Jones], with a bone ligament issue, ruled out.”
Jota, 27, had scored 14 goals in 28 games for Liverpool prior to his injury. Away from the Portuguese forward, Klopp also gave an update on Liverpool's ongoing injury crisis ahead of the Carabao Cup final. He added: "The others we will deal with it day-by-day with muscle things. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Dom [Dominik Szoboszlai] are on the way back but not in team training yet."
Diogo Jota receives treatment vs Brentford (Getty Images)Will Liverpool beat Luton? Share your predictions in the comments below
Fortunately for Liverpool, they did receive some good news at Brentford despite Jota's withdrawal. Mo Salah returned from the problem he picked up at AFCON and marked his return with a goal.
After their showdown with Luton, Liverpool take a slight break from their Premier League commitments. They face Chelsea at Wembley this weekend in the Carabao Cup before taking on Championship promotion-chasers Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Liverpool then return to Premier League action against Nottingham Forest in early March.
Liverpool have won four out of their last five games - their only defeat coming in the 3-1 reverse at the hands of Arsenal at the start of February.
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