‘A long time’ - key Liverpool star provides injury update ahead of Wolves and Man Utd games

Diogo Jota has lifted the lid on the ‘strange’ injury that kept him on the Liverpool sidelines for a prolonged period.

The forward suffered a calf problem in the closing stages of the Reds’ 1-0 victory over Manchester City in October. Jota was forced off the Anfield pitch on a stretcher and missed the World Cup with Portugal.

Jota was absent for the best part of four months, with Liverpool feeling his absence in the final third amid a spluttering run of form.

The 26-year-old made three substitute appearances before being handed a start in Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace.

And as the Reds prepare to face Wolves - the side who Jota was signed from for £41 million in September 2020 - he’s explained why he spent so much time on the treatment table.

Jota told Liverpoolfc.com: “It was just over four months since I played Man City at home, that was my last game, so I had to admit it felt strange - I was not used to playing Premier League anymore.

“But I felt good during the game, I had a couple of chances in the box and around, I just need to get my certainty back and I think that will come with more minutes and hopefully [I can] help the team with goals and assists.

“I had a strange calf injury. They said to me they hadn’t seen it before, most of the people, so we needed to ask for the help of some specialists as well to try to get over it, and of course to give it a bit more time because of the complexity and just to be safe.

“But yeah, it was very hard, a long time. The results, to be honest, didn’t help as well so it was very frustrating to see things happening and not be able to help in any way, well, apart from the dressing room talks but [not] on the field.

“But yeah, it’s over now, I am back and I want to finish the season available to start with and then obviously if I can help, even better.”

Jota suffered a hamstring injury in pre-season that meant he also missed the opening month of the campaign. In total, he’s made 12 appearances for Liverpool in 2022-23 and is yet to score.