Jota gotta lotta love for rampant Reds

Hat-trick hero says Sane, Salah taking him to next level

BERGAMO, Italy－Liverpool forward Diogo Jota credited playing alongside the likes of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane with lifting his game as he scored a hat-trick in the Reds' 5-0 Champions League win over Atalanta on Tuesday.

"I'm playing in the best team of my career so far," said the 23-yearold, who has now scored in four consecutive games since his move from Wolves in September.

The Portuguese became just the second player to score on his first two starts in the Champions League for Liverpool since Robbie Keane in 2008, after notching the opener in a 2-0 win over Midtjylland last time out.

Jota scored a first-half brace, completing his hat-trick after 55 minutes in Bergamo after Salah and Mane added two more just after the break in northern Italy.

"Obviously they (Mane and Salah) are two world-class players, we all know their quality which makes it easier for me to do my job because they are outstanding and we had a great game together today.

"Five goals, that doesn't happen so often. We scored early so that's a good moment for me and the team and then we can manage the game our way.

"The clean sheet as well, if we can keep a clean sheet against City we will win the game," he added of the Reds' next Premier League game at Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Jurgen Klopp's 2019 Champions League winner is top of Group D with a maximum nine points and is five clear of both Atalanta and Ajax, who won 2-1 at Danish champion Midtjylland.

"That was a performance we needed tonight," said Klopp.

"I don't think anyone could have defended against Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota so it wasn't about the tactics or our system it was about the team.

"My boys played an incredible game, the front-line defending and attacking was outstanding. Midfield organization, desire, readiness."

Klopp insisted Jota's form does not give him a selection problem with Roberto Firmino rested ahead of the City clash.

"Good performances never give me a headache," said the German.

"For tonight it was clear that it made more sense to use the good shape that Diogo is in and because of the way Atalanta plays in defense it made sense that the skill set of Diogo helps.

"The world is sometimes a really bad place that in the moment when someone is shining we speak immediately of a player who played for us it feels like 500 games in a row, and we would not be in the Champions League if Bobby Firmino would not be with us.

"He will be in the team and for a lot of people in the world if you ask them 'what makes Liverpool something special?', they would say the way Bobby Firmino is playing.

"For us it's important that we have more than 11. Tonight Diogo played a super, super game but that says nothing about Bobby."

City slickers

Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne warmed up for Sunday's clash with Liverpool by setting up two goals in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Olympiakos.

That gave the Belgium midfielder 14 assists in the competition since the start of the 2017-18 season, one short of Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe's competition-leading 15.

De Bruyne set City on its way by cushioning a pass through to Ferran Torres who drove home in the 12th minute.

De Bruyne then sent substitute Gabriel Jesus through on goal to score on his return from injury nine minutes from time.

City only requires a draw in the return match in Greece to secure progress to the knockout stage with two group games to spare.

City boss Pep Guardiola has been without a natural striker as both Jesus and Sergio Aguero have had an injury-hit start to the season. And Guardiola welcomed the option of having a striker fit for Sunday's blockbuster clash.

"We played an exceptional first half, but unfortunately we cannot finish the games, we struggle a bit for the second goal," said Guardiola.

"Finally, an incredible goal from Gabriel (finished the game). In general, it is good news that he is back."

In Group B, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal across all competitions for the club in a 3-2 victory over Inter Milan－not bad for a centerback.

The defender nodded in to give Madrid a 2-0 lead－his 55th headed goal for his club.

Vinicius Junior set up his fellow Brazilian substitute Rodrygo to lash in the decisive goal 10 minutes from time to keep Inter, which was without the injured Romelu Lukaku, winless.

Defending champion Bayern Munich got late goals from Jerome Boateng, Leroy Sane, Robert Lewandowski and Lucas Hernandez in a 6-2 win at Salzburg to preserve its perfect start in Group A.

AFP