Diogo Jota shares brief message with Liverpool fans following injury update

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota is eagerly anticipating the semi-finals after making his second consecutive substitute appearance in their 2-1 League Cup victory over Southampton on Wednesday (December 18).

The 28-year-old is still regaining his fitness following a rib injury sustained during Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League win over Chelsea earlier this season.

Darwin Nunez gave Liverpool the lead in the 24th minute, and Harvey Elliott extended it just after the half-hour mark. Southampton forward Cameron Archer added some tension with a goal in the 59th minute, but it was only a consolation as Liverpool secured their place in the semi-finals.

Jota had missed 13 games across all competitions before making his much-anticipated return in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday (December 14), scoring the equalizer in the 86th minute.

Despite his absence, Liverpool has managed well, sitting atop the Premier League and progressing through the new Champions League league phase.

Diogo Jota pushing for a return to Liverpool’s starting lineup following Southampton victory

Before his injury, Jota was a key player for manager Arne Slot, starting nine of his 11 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 664 minutes of play.

After the 2-1 League Cup win over Southampton, Jota took to Instagram to celebrate their progress, writing: “Semi finals,” accompanied by a flexing arm emoji.

Liverpool could go into their Premier League match against Tottenham on Sunday (December 22) in second place, depending on the outcome of Chelsea’s early match against Everton on the same day. However, Slot’s side still has a game in hand after their fixture with Sean Dyche’s team was postponed due to severe weather caused by Storm Darragh.

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“Winger Confirmed Out for 10 Weeks as Liverpool vs Fulham Team News is Revealed”

Fulham manager Marco Silva provided an injury update ahead of their Premier League match against Liverpool.

Silva acknowledged that Fulham will not have any players returning for their upcoming trip to Liverpool.

Liverpool will host Fulham at Anfield on Saturday (3pm GMT), aiming to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points. Head coach Arne Slot will be pushing for improvements from his team after expressing dissatisfaction with their performance in a 1-0 Champions League win over Girona.

Fulham has had a strong start to the season, sitting 10th in the league after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal last weekend. However, they will travel to Merseyside without key defenders Calvin Bassey, who is serving a one-match suspension, and Joachim Andersen (calf injury). Additionally, captain Tom Cairney is completing the final match of a three-game ban, Harrison Reed remains unavailable, and on-loan Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson is sidelined for 10 weeks.

At his pre-match press conference, Silva said: “No fresh news really, just Joachim and Harrison Reed, plus Reiss Nelson from the game we played against Brighton. They are going to be out, and of course, the third game of Tom Cairney’s suspension, plus the fifth yellow card from Calvin Bassey.”

He continued: “It is difficult to have a really precise time in this situation. I believe that Joa probably is going to be the closest one to come [back] but 100% not this week. Harrison Reed, we have to see, step by step. Reiss Nelson is going to be longer. Difficult to say when he’s going to be back. Probably around 10 weeks.”

Regarding Liverpool, Silva stated: “They’re the most consistent team in this league so far and are strong in any moment of the game. They make life difficult for any team they play. They’re great in terms of collective quality, the impact of the manager and individual quality. Everything together is why they are top of the league.”