Diogo Jota could replace Roberto Firmino in Liverpool starting XI to form new attack with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah

Diogo Jota’s red hot form could force Jurgen Klopp to break up his highly effective front three.

That’s according to former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor, who has been blown away by the Liverpool player’s displays so far this season.

Jota is turning out to be a superb signing for Liverpool

Jota moved to Anfield from Wolves in the summer for around £40m and he has repaid his manager’s faith, scoring another winner – the third time at Anfield in a week, following goals against Sheffield United and FC Midtjylland – to this time down West Ham.

It was his fourth goal in nine games and came at a time when his club badly needed it. Replacing Roberto Firmino with just under 20 minutes of the match remaining, Jota had a goal disallowed but then latched onto Xherdan Shaqiri’s through ball to make it 2-1 in the 85th minute.

And the game was crying out for a player like him, Agbonlahor told talkSPORT.

“When Liverpool signed him, I thought they got him on the cheap because he was outstanding to watch at Wolves,” he said.

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Firmino is struggling for goals in a prolific Liverpool side but has been a mainstay under Klopp since he took over as manager in 2015

“Sooner or later he will be a starter in that Liverpool team. Firmino was poor again, so it wouldn’t surprise you if you start seeing Jota play through the middle.

“He was the one who won that for Liverpool and I feel that that’s how you see a great team – players like that who can come off the bench. They’re missing Virgil van Dijk but are still grinding out results.”

Klopp, who has used Firmino more than any other player in his squad since arriving five years ago, revealed his delight with Jota after the game.

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“Diogo is in a good moment – a good player, and we are really happy that we could make that signing. It is a proper win-win situation.

“I think we can help him and he can help us a lot so, yes, a very good night.”

Jota revealed Klopp’s instructions to him before going on were ‘to be lively’.

“Of course, with the game time the other team gets tired, so we need to do movement, movement.

“Fortunately, in the end I got the space, a great pass from Shaq and I could score.”

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