Liverpool’s Diogo Jota goes full Jamie Vardy in front of Leicester fans after scoring during Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash at Anfield.
Diogo Jota continued his impressive run of form for 2021/22 to keep the travelling fans quiet and send his side through to the semi final.
The Reds were looking to be on the brink of a Carabao Cup exit when they fell behind with Leicester 3-1 up by half time courtesy of Jamie Vardy’s brace and a stunning strike from James Maddison.
However, it was the introduction of Jota at the break that really transformed the Merseyside outfit, building on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first-half strike to turn the game around.
In the 68th minute, Jota halved the deficit to just a single goal, hitting his left-footed finish past Kasper Schmeichel having been slipped into the penalty area with a pass from Takumi Minamino.
Liverpool were chasing an equaliser in the dying moments of injury time, and the Japan international got himself on the scoresheet with an emphatic strike to take the game to penalties.
Jota thought his night was potnetially over after not being name in the first five spot kick takers, however, after Minamino spurned the chance to send the Reds into the final four by missing the target with his decisive penalty, Jota stepped up as Liverpool’s sixth taker.
His job was made far easier by Ryan Bertrand missing, so it was down to the former Wolves man to do what Minamino couldn’t.
Jota comfortably put the ball in the back of the net, sparking ecstatic celebrations around Anfield.
Many viewers turned their attention to his immediate reaction to winning the game in front of the Leicester fans, taunting them with a celebration as they made their way to the turnstiles.
Jota in front of the Leicester fans.😂 pic.twitter.com/161Ef25sgr
— Kloppholic (@Kloppholic) December 22, 2021
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAID:
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praised second-choice goalkeeper and shoot-out hero Caoimhin Kelleher for ‘saving our life’, saying: “It is not the first time he was part of these spectacular games.
“Against Arsenal (the 2019 5-5 League Cup draw which Liverpool won on penalties) it was similar but this a step forward and he saved our life. He was really helpful tonight.”
Liverpool’s reward for their comeback win over Leicester is a two-legged semi-final against Arsenal, but Klopp insists he would rather it was a one-off clash to help ease the strain on his players amid the busy fixture schedule and the rise in Covid cases.
“I think it would be better with one game absolutely, but obviously what I say is not too important,” Klopp said. “If there are two games, then we will play two games. But it would be helpful if there was only one, true.
“The draw has us at Arsenal. I’m fine with that, we play there and see who is better and go for it.
“I don’t just speak about player welfare this year, I have been speaking about it for six years or maybe longer. If the things I say would help more, I would say it much more often. But it doesn’t help.
“The only thing I do with these messages is I create headlines. They never arrive at the right places.
“Tomorrow (Thursday) we have a meeting at 4pm but it’s with the Premier League and not with the EFL (English Football League) – I’m not sure if they are involved or not.
“I said it before, I would prefer only one semi-final. But I can’t see any kind of changes actually.”
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers: “You saw in the second half the injuries we picked up, we had to change the structure of the team.
“First half we were excellent and looked a real threat. To come to Anfield and score three goals, we really should have got four or five.
“Defensively you know you are going to have to suffer at times with the quality they have. In the second half we threw everything at it and it just looked at the end we were going to get through.
“To concede in the 95th minute, I was so disappointed for the players, they put so much into the game.”
Twitter users reacted as Liverpool’s Diogo Jota goes full Jamie Vardy in front of Leicester fans…
This ENERGY >>>>> pic.twitter.com/lEyuIDVCzW
— 𝐸𝓁𝓈 (@lfcels) December 22, 2021
@Ranga_Sriraman: There’s a bit of Suarez in this guy
@o_Kuso: The amount of shittery there. He’s up there with Robbo.
@les_nicol: He’s brilliant and I love this, it’s shithousery of the highest calibre 👊🏻
@Lexxyskull: You can tell he was fuming on the bench watching and listening to their antics
@ishaandaar: He changed the game after entering the field!
@MarkJayOConnor1: Love it that fairly rubbed salt into the wounds love to see it after singing abuse at us all night
@Samsl_1999: Slowly becoming my fav player
@EthanPrescott15: love it
@dradams93: Jota…. what a signing.
@AnfieldAn: Jota rubbing it in the face of Leicester fans was the best part of the game lol
@brodobaggins5: Fuck I love Jota. Schmeichel dropped the ball in front of him wanting Jota to come up to him to collect the ball but Jota just stood on the penalty spot. In the end the ref had to go and get the ball. 😂 Then gave it large to the Leicester fans 😍😍
@LeeRoy_Chetty: Have a bit of that! #YNWA
@owenlfc_: They were chatting the most shit they deserve that
Some things don’t change pic.twitter.com/j00tsALAnE
— DanWWFC🐺 (@AdanTroare) December 22, 2021
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