Diogo Jota is the name on everybody’s lips. The Portuguese has made a sensational start at Anfield since his move to Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September. The forward’s hat-trick against Atalanta on Tuesday capped a remarkable 11 days when the 23-year-old scored six times in four matches. Jota’s pace, movement and eye for goal have been sensational. He would appear to be an obvious choice to start the crucial Premier League showdown against Manchester City on Sunday. Roberto Firmino has suffered a dip in form this season and Liverpool’s front three look more dynamic with the £45 million signing Jota lined up alongside Sadio Mane and Mo Salah. Yet Jurgen Klopp might take a more circumspect approach to selection against City. As brilliant as Jota has been, the manager trusts Firmino. Pep Guardiola’s side are still the likeliest team to stop Liverpool winning back-to-back titles. City sit in 12th in the Premier League, five points behind the champions but the table is deceptive. Guardiola’s men have a game in hand and the last thing Klopp wants is to suffer a defeat and hand the initiative to his rivals. Jota may have to be content with a place on the bench on Sunday. Trust is one of the hallmarks of Klopp’s approach. He often chooses the less flashy option in favour of players he can rely upon. The German has been oblivious to the clamour for Naby Keita to be involved in the team on a more regular basis. Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum are much higher up the pecking order even though the Guinea midfielder appears to have a more attractive skill set. Klopp knows exactly what his first-choice players will bring to the side and work rate and balance frequently trump more showy contributions. Liverpool grumbling over Virgil van Dijk’s loss leaves them vulnerable Firmino had been criticised because he does not score enough. The Brazilian often feels like the least important member of Liverpool’s attacking trident. The 29-year-old has scored just once this season while Salah has struck nine goals, Jota seven and Mane five. Firmino has other qualities. He knits the front three together, creates space for his teammates and works hardest when the opposition have the ball. Against City, this might be the most valuable aspect of his game. Klopp is very astute in the way he uses his squad. Jota’s style of play was perfect versus Atalanta, a team that leaves plenty of space available. Liverpool have been successful against City when they have pressed Guardiola’s defenders and midfielders before they could get the ball up to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne. Firmino’s intelligence and familiarity with such tactics could give him the edge over Jota in these circumstances. It is a cliché to say that the Brazilian is Liverpool’s first line of defence but it is nonetheless true. He is very effective in harrying opponents and using space to nullify the opposition’s advantage. This should not downplay Jota’s potential impact. City are vulnerable to pace and direct running. The Portuguese has a definite role to play when England’s two best teams clash. A seemingly obvious solution for Klopp would be to play Jota in an attacking quartet. There have already been suggestions that a “Fab Four” set-up could be devastating. No panic at Liverpool after Villa rout – Reds have a history of recovering well from thrashings Three years ago there was similar excitement at the prospect of Klopp loading his team with attacking talent. The belief that Philippe Coutinho, Salah, Mane and Firmino would constitute an unstoppable strike force was shown to lack foundation. The team was top heavy with forwards and left short in midfield. The side did not really click until Coutinho departed for Barcelona and the fee was used to bring in Virgil van Dijk to Merseyside. The Dutchman made a huge difference to Liverpool’s prospects but even if the centre back’s influence is ignored, the forwards proved to be significantly better as a trio. That is likely to remain the case. Jota is an exciting talent and represents the future. Salah and Mane are five years older than the newcomer and Firmino six years his senior. He has plenty of time to make a starting position his own. Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s sporting director who heads the club’s recruitment policy, has a knack for finding effective forwards. Edwards was keen on bringing Salah to Anfield as far back as January 2014, three years before the Egyptian’s eventual arrival. Sometimes, though, it takes a little luck to get the right man. That happened during the transfer window. Watford’s Ismaila Sarr was high on Liverpool’s wish list in the summer but the club were put off by the £50 million fee demanded by the Championship team. Jota proved to be more of a bargain and has slotted into the team seamlessly. Things could not have worked out better for Klopp and his latest recruit, a forward who has thrived operating alongside a superior class of player. With so much focus on Liverpool’s problems in central defence in recent weeks, the emergence of Jota has lifted the spirits of everyone at Anfield. If he continues in this form, he will make a huge contribution this season. Firmino will not cede his place easily. The Brazilian has earned his right to play in the biggest games. His Champions League and title-winning medals are proof of his worth. The good news for Klopp is that Jota, and a revitalised Xherdan Shaqiri, give the Liverpool manager a range of attacking weapons that are the envy of Europe. That is an ominous thought for City and the rest of the Premier League.