“Red flag” – Diogo Jota may be at risk of another setback after Liverpool twist

“Red flag” – Diogo Jota may be at risk of another setback after Liverpool twistdio

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota will be at risk of an injury setback if the Merseyside club rush him back into action.

That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis according to Football Insider.

The Portugal International has not featured for Liverpool since he suffered a calf injury in their 1-0 win over Man City at Anfield on 16 October, an injury that ruled him out of the just concluded World Cup.

Jota missed pre-season and the start of the campaign with a hamstring injury.

Portuegese outlet O Jogo reported last week as via Sporting Witness, that Liverpool’s medical staff are “quite optimistic” about Jota’s recovery and he could return ahead of schedule.

The 26-year-old was initially due to return towards the end of February.

“The research will tell us that the more sessions you are able to undertake in pre-season or a mid-season break, will help you stand the test of time when competitive football returns,” Dinnery told Football Insider Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

Diogo Jota suffered a calf injury in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Man City in October. (Getty Images)

“Diogo Jota has missed those two key cornerstones of his training calendar. For that reason alone, he’s already at that increased risk of picking up another injury. There’s already a red flag there.

“To help contextualise it, when you look at risk factors associated with players, history is already a really good way of helping to understand where a player is at. We’ve seen with Jota over the last six to 12 months, there has been a lot of problems there so that’s a worry.

“Secondly, there’s a fatigue factor in there as well.

“So Jurgen Klopp will certainly not be looking to throw Jota back into that starting line up. You’re going to have to build that accumulative load and gradually integrate him into the team.

“If you are pushing players too hard and too soon then they are going to be at risk of another setback, unfortunately.”

Liverpool’s injury problems during the first part of the season have heightened suggestions they could bolster their squad in the January transfer window.

In other news, Enzo Fernandez backed to ‘go straight into Liverpool XI’ after source’s signing reveals