Liverpool boss Arne Slot provides Diogo Jota injury update ahead of Aston Villa clash

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has provided an update on star striker Diogo Jota's potential return ahead of the Reds' Premier League home clash against Aston Villa this Saturday.

Jota, 27, has missed the Reds' last five matches across all competitions owing to a reported rib injury. He suffered his problem in the 30th minute of his team's 2-1 win over Chelsea in the league on October 20.

Ahead of the Merseyside outfit's upcoming game at Anfield, Slot was asked to offer an injury update on the former Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker. He replied (h/t liverpoolfc.com):

"The first weeks after the international break, we expect him back. I always say in Holland, there is privacy about this and I don't know how it is over here. Like I just said, he will be back one or two weeks after the international break."

So far this season, Jota has bagged four goals in 10 overall matches for Liverpool. He is likely to miss the Reds' next three or four games, which include key matches against Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Liverpool boss praises 27-year-old attacker

Earlier this Tuesday (November 5), Liverpool eased past Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in an UEFA Champions League match. Luis Diaz scored his first-ever Reds hat-trick, starting the game in an unfamiliar striking role.

At a pre-game press conference, Arne Slot shared his thoughts on Luis Diaz again potentially featuring in a striking role in the future. He said (h/t Liverpool Echo):

"To be honest, I liked the last idea, I think every supporter did with Lucho scoring three goals, two as a number nine and one as a winger, so that is interesting to see. But Lucho is also a very good left winger. At this moment, we have four attackers available for three positions so we could come up with another idea again."

Slot, who has won 14 of his 16 total games as Reds boss, concluded:

"But if Diogo comes back and Darwin [Nunez] is back, then we have two number nines available again and at the beginning of the season, I always chose one of these two. But Lucho did really well and it was, even for me, maybe a bit of a surprise to see how well he did. I played him there for a reason, I expected him to do good but that he played so well that was even a surprise for me."

Diaz, who will turn 28 next January, has produced nine goals and two assists in 15 matches across competitions for the Reds so far this season.