London, Feb 12: Diogo Jota is squeezing every moment out of his understudy role in the Liverpool attack.
Even with Egypt striker Mohamed Salah back available after a month away at the African Cup of Nations, Jota still started and scored both goals in a 2-0 victory over Leicester on Thursday.
The second was scored with Salah on the field for the final 30 minutes in a win that keeps second-place Liverpool nine points behind Manchester City with a game in hand.
Liverpool is also chasing titles still in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
The Portugal international has now scored in 18 different league games since joining in 2020 for around $50 million from Wolverhampton.
The first against Leicester came in the 24th minute with a close-range strike after Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel parried Virgil Van Dijk’s header.
The second from Jota in the 87th was a smart shot on the turn under Schmeichel.
Liverpool still have a tough task catching City with 15 games to go.
Gunners finally win
After 46 days, Arsenal was finally victorious again. Gabriel poked in a goal in the 25th to clinch a 1-0 victory at Wolverhampton, although the Gunners had to hang on for a first win since December 26 with 10 men after another needless sending off.
Gabriel Martinelli was sent off for two yellow cards within seconds of each other — Arsenal’s fourth dismissal in its last six games.
This one came with 21 minutes left after Marintelli first pushed Daniel Podence to stop a quick throw-in but referee Michael Oliver played advantage.
Martinelli then chased the ball down only to barge into Chiquinho from behind and was immediately shown two yellow cards.
Wolves could not take advantage, though, and lost ground on Arsenal, which climbed to fifth to improve its chances of a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League.
The goal came when Wolves failed to clear Martinelli’s corner and Ben White headed back across goal toward Alexandre Lacazette, who collided with goalkeeper Jose Sa but did enough to deflect the ball toward Gabriel, who scored his third goal of the campaign. (AP)
