BY VOICE SPORTS TEAM
LIVERPOOL manager Arne Slot insists the strength of the options he has in reserve means the club do not need to add to their squad in the January transfer window, after substitute Diogo Jota earned his side a draw at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Jota netted just 22 seconds after coming off the bench - Liverpool’s fastest goal by a substitute on record in the Premier League - heading home a corner from fellow replacement Kostas Tsimikas.
The Portuguese forward was one of four Liverpool strikers on the pitch when he cancelled out Chris Wood’s opener at the City Ground, with Italy international Federico Chiesa an unused substitute.
And Slot says when asked if he is going to sign players in the January transfer window: “I think you saw today again, that I can still strengthen the team or impact the game with the substitutions I have from the bench.
“And it was not for the first time this season that these players have helped us. If you looked at [that], I could not have asked for more. I said to them at half-time, don’t get frustrated.
“I knew we would get chances, with the options we had. We created chance after chance late on and could have won.”
The draw preserves Liverpool’s six-point lead over surprise title rivals Forest, with Slot’s side having played a game less.
Liverpool did have plenty of chances to lay down a title marker but were denied on several occasions by home goalkeeper Matz Sels, having to settle for the point instead.
And Slot adds: “We wanted to have three points but, in the end, what I want and what the fans and players should want is that the team gives its all every single game.
“They did that, we were outstanding in the second half. It is difficult to keep this intensity going, and it is very pleasing to see us do that.”
The Reds next travel to Brentford on Saturday.