“Hopefully this starts a run for me” – Liverpool match-winner Diogo Jota after Merseyside derby | OneFootball

Liverpool 1-0 Everton

Portugal forward Diogo Jota was the hero as Liverpool edged closer to the Premier League title with a narrow victory over city rivals Everton at Anfield.

Jota scored a brilliantly-taken goal in the second half to ensure the Reds remain 12 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table with just eight matches of the season remaining.

The 57th-minute goal was Jota’s 6th in a league season which has seen him start just eleven matches, partly owing to missing two months with injury from October to December. Speaking after the match, the Seleção man said he hopes the match-winning performance can be a springboard for the remainder of the season.

“I always believe in myself. I always believe that the chances will come and I need to be there to take them. Hopefully this game starts a good run for me that could be helpful for the team. Like I said, the three points was really the most important [thing] today.

“[The win was massive] of course, not only because it's a derby but because after this international break we have this run-in of nine games and it was really important to start with three points. The only way is to keep winning games. Like I said, it was really important to start well today in this run-in and give this team confidence to keep on going.”

There was also a Portuguese on the opposing side, with former Portimonense man Beto threatening the Liverpool backline and hitting the post in the first half. Liverpool manager Arne Slot conceded Beto had been problematic, while praising Jota’s strike which earned a much welcome three points for the leaders.

“They (Everton) are a team that is difficult to play against because they are also a threat on the counter-attack with Beto,” Slott said.

“Jota’s goal? Very pleased. He was close to it already in the first half; I think it was after seven or eight minutes. It was not a surprise they blocked that shot because they are defensively an incredibly strong team. For him to come up in the second half, he had two of these moments as well and the other moment was blocked. But [for the goal] he found just a bit of space and he scored the goal, which was nice for him but nice for us - and by us, I mean his teammates, the staff and the fans.”