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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Victor

Diogo Jota reacts to finding out Liverpool have drawn Man City in FA Cup in ITV interview

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota learned about Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final meeting with Manchester City for the first time after scoring the goal which put his team into the semis.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man scored the only goal of the game at the City Ground to help the depleted Reds past in-form Championship side Nottingham Forest. His strike, moments after Philip Zinckernagel missed a golden chance for the hosts, was enough to see off Steve Cooper's side.

City and Liverpool will face off twice in as many weeks in April after both sides tasted victory in the quarter-finals. A potential Premier League title decider is first up, on April 10, with a meeting at Wembley set for the following weekend.

"I didn't know," Jota told ITV after being informed of the draw. "OK, it's another tough game.

"One more. There are still a lot of games before then."

Liverpool still have two Premier League games before the semi-final, with Watford awaiting them before the trip to the Emirates Stadium. Jurgen Klopp's side also have two legs of their Champions League quarter-final with Benfica before travelling to Wembley, with the second leg taking place between the two City clashes.

Who will win this season's FA Cup? Have your say in the comments section

Jota scored Liverpool's quarter-final winner (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Jota's winner was subject to a VAR check, thanks to a tight offside call. However, it was determined that Forest defender Tobias Figuereido played the 25-year-old on.

"Yeah, I thought it was tight," Jota said, before pointing to Zinckernagel's miss. "They had one big, big chance.

"They gave us a proper challenge and their fans were outstanding. But we are in semi-finals."

The goal was Jota's 19th of the season in all competitions, but only his second in the FA Cup to go along with his efforts in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and Champions League. He had also been on target in the fourth round, when Liverpool saw off another Championship side in Cardiff City.

Philip Zinckernagel missed a huge chance at 0-0 (Action Images via Reuters)

"It was obviously a tough game," Jota said. "They [Forest] are a great team and play with lots of intensity and they gave us proper fight."

The second-tier side had other chances either side of Liverpool's goal. A penalty appeal was turned down after Ryan Yates went down under Alisson's challenge, while Yates also sent a headed opportunity too close to the Brazilian goalkeeper.

"You've got to take those chances," Forest's Joe Worrall said of the opportunity at 0-0. "Nine times out of 10 in training Phil [Zinckernagel] puts them away.

"We do that all the time, cross in from the right and it's a goal. It's a trademark of ours. We've got some good young players too - to come and play 90 minutes against players of that calibre is so impressive."

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