Liverpool will be forced into HEARTBREAKING Diogo Jota decision

Liverpool's problems with Diogo Jota are increasingly difficult to contend with and it will soon come to a head.

Liverpool face Brighton later today and who starts up top? It certainly feels as though Darwin Nunez is in line for the role - much as he did in the last EFL Cup round against West Ham United.

Only, Nunez had an intense game against Arsenal at the weekend. And he had one against RB Leipzig a few days before that.

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He's also expected to start against Brighton at the weekend in the Premier League clash. And we imagine he'll be the striker against Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa ahead of the international break.

It's a lot of football for any player, let alone in a role as intensive as the centre forward in Arne Slot's high press. And that's why Liverpool will be forced into a decision on Diogo Jota before long.

Diogo Jota's injury woes

The reason Nunez is suddenly playing so much football is that Liverpool's other senior striker isn't available. Diogo Jota is injured with a rib problem and isn't expected to feature again before the international break later this month.

This is an unfortunate one for Jota - but not a surprising one. The Portugal star misses a bucketload of fixtures every season.

Jota missed 25 games for club and county last season. He missed 29 the season before that. 21/22 was a good campaign (just four missed) and that goes at least some way to explaining why Liverpool were so strong across four competitions that season.

Before that? 23 games missed in Jota's first season with Liverpool.

Jota is a brilliant player when he's in the team - there's no question there. But the strain of the modern game leaves Liverpool with little choice here.

If they want to play with high intensity and across all competitions, they can't be so reliant on a player who misses this much football. That doesn't necessarily mean Jota should be sold - but it's hard to see a future where Liverpool call him a first-choice option. Or even a second choice.

The Reds must invest in a reliable centre-forward - and that will be at the expense of a true crowd favourite.

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