Hat-trick hero Jota hails partnership with Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane

Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates his goal on Tuesday. pic/AFP

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota credited playing alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane with lifting his game as he scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 Champions League win over Atalanta on Tuesday. "I'm playing in the best team of my career so far," said Jota, 23, who has now scored in four consecutive games since his move from Wolves in September.

The Portuguese became just the second player to score on his first two starts in the Champions League for Liverpool since Robbie Keane 2008, after notching the opener in a 2-0 win over Midtjylland last time out.

Jota scored a first half brace, completing his hat-trick after 55 minutes in Bergamo after Salah and Mane added two more just after the break in northern Italy. "Obviously they [Mane and Salah] are two world-class players, we all know their quality which makes it easier for me to do my job because they are outstanding and we had a great game together today. Five goals, that doesn't happen so often.

We scored early so that's a good moment for me and the team and then we can manage the game our way. The clean sheet as well, if we can keep a clean sheet against City we will win the game," he added of their next Premier League game.

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