Arne Slot has made an admission on Diogo Jota’s Liverpool start prospects.
Jota’s road to recovery from a rib injury picked up in October’s win over Chelsea has continued with four substitute appearances for the Premier League leaders.
The latest came in Thursday’s clash with Leicester City, where the Reds opened up a seven-point gap at the summit heading into the season’s official midway point.
But Slot is continuing to exercise caution over the Portugal international being handed a starring role in Sunday’s final game of 2024 against West Ham United.
Liverpool’s head coach also conceded that Jota faces competition in forcing his way into a star-studded attacking line which is operating at the peak of its powers.
“We are still managing his fitness,” said Slot.
“He’s been out for quite a long time and he couldn’t train that much so when a player has an injury, he can do a lot but he couldn’t do quite a lot for quite a long time.
“Since this league is so intense, it’s not so easy if you’re almost two months out to come in and play from the start again.
“You need to have some minutes to build this up and he is in competition with some other special players as well who are, at this moment, on top of their game.
“He’s gradually building it up and I think he comes close to start again.
“But like I said, he has competition in his position as well.”
Slot also revealed that defensive duo Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley could be back in contention for his side’s showdown with Manchester United on January 5.
The pair have both been sidelined since picking up respective knee and hamstring injuries during last month’s emphatic Champions League victory over Real Madrid.
He added: They will not be back for West Ham but then there’s a week in between [games] so let’s see how close they are then.
“It’s difficult for me to tell you at this moment because they don’t train with the group yet but hopefully in the coming days they come closer.
“Ibou has been out then for five, six weeks and Conor just as long.
“Also for them they are in competition with players who are completely fit and doing really well so I have to make the right judgement the moment they are back with the team.”
