Liverpool could be without striker Diogo Jota when the Premier League leaders face Brentford on Saturday.
Jota scored 22 seconds after coming off the bench at Nottingham Forest in midweek, his header securing a point for Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool go into the weekend with a four-point lead over Arsenal, but could have to do without the Portuguese striker.
Slot said: “There is no doubt about his (Jota) importance to us, but he wasn’t training so today we have to see where he is.
Arne Slot has confirmed that we will assess Diogo Jota’s fitness to determine if he can take part in Saturday’s trip to Brentford ⤵️
-Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 17, 2025
“It is not certain that it will be available tomorrow, we will see today. He felt a bit of a nuisance when he came in, during the half hour he was in Forest. He finished the game but complained a little. We’ll see tomorrow.”
Brentford have a good record of early goals this season and Liverpool have conceded the first goal in five of their last seven Premier League games.
Slot says he expects the second half of the season to be more difficult and pointed to Southampton’s performance in their eventual defeat to Manchester United on Thursday as evidence of what lies ahead for the leading teams.
“This season shows the strength of the Premier League,” he said.
“It was a big surprise to see Southampton go toe-to-toe with Manchester United for so long, making it harder to win in the second half of the season than the first.
“The teams spend more time together, others bring players and the teams are fighting for Europe, for titles, to stay in the league; Brentford is an example of a team that was already strong in the first half.
“They have been a very good team for a few years now. “They have proven it.”
Young striker Jayden Danns impressed off the bench during the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley and is a player who has been linked with a loan move away from Anfield this month.
Slot says he has a lot to consider about the 19-year-old’s future.
He said: “I think when you want to loan someone a lot of things are taken into account, is it good for the player? Yes or no. Do we still need it?
“We have two or three for number 9 and we don’t expect Jota to be out for long. Hopefully we will see him on the pitch soon.
“Jayden has done well when he arrived, so we have four options and we have to make the right decisions.”
