Diogo Jota ended his frustrating goal drought of 32 games and 372 days on Monday night as he struck twice in Liverpool’s 6-1 thrashing of Leeds, also laying on Mohamed Salah’s first. This was a relief for the No. 20, who had scored 34 times in his 72 games before the dry spell. Jota revealed that a phrase from Cristiano Ronaldo “stuck with him” through it: “Goals, as a football legend once told me, are like ketchup. Sometimes, as much as you try, they don’t come out, and when they come, many come all at the same time.” With his two goals at Elland Road, Jota took himself above Bruno Fernandes as the second-highest Portuguese goalscorer in the history of the Premier League. His 42 goals for Wolves and Liverpool leave him behind only Ronaldo (103), whose success with Man United has set a difficult record to break. However, if Jota finds form again now, he may be able to run his compatriot close.
Darwin Nunez used the same analogy as he worked his way through a tough start to life at Liverpool, having gone five games without a goal. He said: “The goal will come. It’s like ketchup, when it comes out a little, it all comes out.” Nunez went on to score five in his next seven games, with the Uruguayan’s record in his first season at Liverpool now a healthy 15 goals and four assists in 37 outings. Jurgen Klopp now faces the envious task of fitting Jota, Nunez, Salah, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz all into his side on a regular basis – along with Roberto Firmino.