Liverpool 'a better team with Jota in it'
Diogo Jota's absence from the Liverpool team for the next two weeks will be a "big loss" for the Premier League title contenders, former Reds full-back Stephen Warnock has said.
Portugal forward Jota will miss Wednesday's Merseyside derby at Everton because of an injury he sustained at Fulham on Sunday.
"He does things that other Liverpool players can't do; he presses well, he allows the midfield to press behind because of the intensity with which he closes down and his conversion rate is the best out of all their strikers when he's given the opportunity," Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.
"Liverpool are just a better team with him in it. It's a big loss for Liverpool and it's probably bigger than people will anticipate."
Liverpool have played a game fewer than Arsenal and will start the match at Goodison Park three points behind the Premier League leaders, following the Gunners' 5-0 thrashing of Chelsea on Tuesday.
Warnock said: "What a statement that was from Arsenal, and Liverpool will now be going into a Merseyside derby feeling that anything other than a victory will be arguably the title disappearing away from them.
"It's such a difficult game, and then they're trying to put pressure on Manchester City who play Brighton on Thursday. It's a huge game."
