Liverpool: Diogo Jota doubtful for Brentford clash as Arne Slot reveals why Luis Diaz missed training | OneFootball

Mixed fortunes on the team news front as Reds look to go seven points clear of Arsenal in Premier League title battle

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has emerged as a doubt to face Brentford in the Premier League this weekend, though Luis Diaz is expected to play.

Liverpool will wait to see if he is able to take any part later on Friday before making a final decision on his availability for the game at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Fellow attacker Diaz, meanwhile, missed training on Thursday too with a sore throat but is not thought to be in any danger of missing out this weekend.

"There is no doubt about the fact Jota is an important player for us, but he wasn't on the training ground yesterday so that means we have to see today where he is,” Slot told reporters.

"So, it is not sure he will be available for tomorrow. We have to wait and see today.

"He felt a little bit when he came in [at Forest], a little niggle during the half-hour he came in. He could finish the game, but afterwards he complained a bit about it and that's why he didn't train yesterday.

"We have to wait and see if he is available today and then, of course, tomorrow."

Jota’s absence would be keenly felt by Liverpool after he scored just 22 seconds after coming off the bench to secure a vital point for the top-flight leaders in their battling 1-1 draw at high-flying Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

Jota was sent on in place of Andy Robertson with 25 minutes to play at the City Ground and his side trailing 1-0 to Chris Wood’s early effort, before he swiftly headed home from a corner delivered by fellow impactful substitute Kostas Tsimikas.

The former Wolves star has scored eight goals in 19 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions so far this season, though has been limited to only seven starts in the league under Slot to date.

Jota was a regular starter under Jurgen Klopp’s successor before suffering a rib injury following a collision with Tosin Adarabioyo during the 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield on October 20.

He subsequently missed almost two months of action before returning to score a late equaliser off the bench against Fulham in mid-December, also netting in the 5-0 demolition of West Ham after Christmas and in last weekend’s 4-0 victory over fourth-tier Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round.

Jota has started only twice for Liverpool since returning from his previous injury, in the 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat by Tottenham last week and then against Accrington. The rest of his seven appearances have all come as a substitute.

Asked if Jota had been placed on a specific training programme since returning to action in a bid to keep up his fitness, Slot added: “Not because it's Jota, but I think every player has an individual programme.

"I said this last week as well, 80 or 90 per cent of [the time] they do the same [things], but of course every individual has things he wants to improve or to prevent him from getting certain injuries that he maybe had in the past.

"Of course, there is an eye on him doing some individual work to prevent him from getting injuries, but that is not only with him, it's for all the others the same.

"There is a special programme for him, as there is for every single player - there is a special programme for every single player - but 80 or 90 per cent is the same for every player."

Liverpool will remain without England defender Joe Gomez against Brentford due to a hamstring injury sustained against West Ham that has seen him miss the last four matches, though striker Darwin Nunez is available again after serving a one-match suspension against Forest that came after he picked up his fifth booking of the season in the dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United earlier this month.

A win for Liverpool on Saturday would see them move seven points clear at the Premier League summit before nearest title rivals Arsenal host Aston Villa later in the day, with Forest - who sit third and only six points off the title pace - hosting bottom club Southampton on Sunday.