'I played with Owen, Torres and Fowler – the best ever Liverpool finisher is clear'

Liverpool have lined up with an array of top finishers during the Premier League era, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Michael Owen and Luis Suarez banging in the goals at Anfield over the years. But Reds icon Jamie Carragher has been clear that current star Diogo Jota is better in front of goal than the lot of them, despite playing alongside stars such as Robbie Fowler and Fernando Torres during his illustrious career.

Carragher played 737 games for Liverpool after coming through the club’s academy and helped the team win the Champions League trophy in 2005.

He called time on his playing career in 2013 after bagging a whole host of trophies and now works as a pundit.

Carragher gave his assessment of Jota after the Portugal forward had scored two goals in a 4-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth in January.

And the 46-year-old told Sky Sports: “I think of some of the strikers I’ve played alongside: Michael Owen, Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Robbie Fowler. I think he (Jota) is the best finisher.

“Robbie maybe [could be ahead of him] in terms of pure finishing, hard and low, into the corner. But [his goals against Bournemouth were] typical Jota. When he gets the chance he is so clinical.

“He sums up Liverpool’s recruitment over the last five or six years. He’s a player who was in and out of the Wolves team, and when he was bought a lot of people were scratching their heads.

“When everyone’s fit, he’s probably not even playing. But I still think he’s a better finisher than the likes of Suarez, Torres, even Salah. The only one who can compete with him is Robbie Fowler at the start of the Premier League years.”

Owen himself has spoken out about Jota’s talents in front of goal as the former England striker exclaimed in the spring: “I am most confident when he is running through on goal, I must admit, out of all the Liverpool players.

“I just go off what I see and I always think that Diogo Jota, in front of goal, would back him. I think he is a very good finisher.”

Jota was labelled as “world-class” by his former boss Jurgen Klopp after bagging a brace to fire his side to Carabao Cup semi-final victory over Arsenal at the start of 2022. But the 27-year-old may have to bide his time for the opportunity to face the Gunners this season after being forced off during the Reds’ 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the weekend with an injury.

Arne Slot’s men travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Sunday and will move seven points clear of their title rivals at the top of the table if they can secure the three points.