Diogo Jota makes Luis Diaz vow and sounds Darwin Nunez…

Diogo Jota makes Luis Diaz vow and sounds Darwin Nunez prediction for Liverpool

Diogo Jota has declared himself ready to step into the shoes of the injured Luis Diaz - and is confident Darwin Nunez is now finding his feet at Liverpool.

Diaz had been one of the Reds' best performers during a disappointing start to the campaign until scans on Monday revealed he is out until after the World Cup with the knee injury suffered in Sunday's 3-2 Premier League defeat at Arsenal.

Jota is the prime candidate to deputise for the stricken Diaz on the left wing when Liverpool take on Rangers at Ibrox in their latest Champions League group match on Wednesday evening.

And the Portuguese is prepared to answer the call from Reds boss Jurgen Klopp should he be required to play in the position in the coming weeks.

"I'm ready to play there and to play whichever position the manager feels I am important for the team," said Jota. "Like always, as a striker, a winger, a number 10, I will be on it with my 100% best. That's the way I am. If it is required for me to play in different positions, that's what I will do.

"The last couple of games I've not really been a number 10 but a bit more behind Darwin in those two games. It's a bit different but I try to give my best and help the team the way I can. We obviously got a good result (against Rangers) and then a not such good result (against Arsenal) but tomorrow is another opportunity."

With Klopp tweaking Liverpool's approach in their last two games, Jota has been playing in an advanced central role behind main striker Nunez. The Uruguayan scored at the weekend and is poised to make a third successive start for the first time since his potential £85million move from Benfica in the summer.

And Jota said: "Like in life, sometimes you get over things. Obviously Darwin started really well and people were starting to think his adaptation was never a problem, but maybe it required a bit more games for him to get up to that level he showed us and everyone last season.

"With this run of games he is having, he has already scored and I think is finding himself in a better position and people in the squad are understanding better his game. It's good for everyone. Tomorrow will be another proof of that, I hope."

While second in their Champions League group, Liverpool have now fallen 14 points behind early leaders Arsenal. Jota, though, hasn't yet given up on a title challenge.

"It's very hard to say," he said. "Obviously last season we had not a similar situation but we were far behind as well. There are still a lot of games to play, at the moment it doesn't seem viable but you never know.

"This season is still in the beginning. We didn't play for the (domestic) cups yet, for example. We are in a good position in the Champions League, we are obviously not in the position where we want to be in the Premier League but it's still early days. There's still a lot to play for. We know this season will be different because of the World Cup. We have a few more weeks to make things easier for us for whenever we return to competition in December."

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