Liverpool strikers copy Jota’s ‘crocodile celebration’ after scoring in first game since his death

Liverpool players and fans have paid tribute to Dioga Jota at the Reds’ first game since the Portuguese forward died in a car crash with his brother.

The Merseyside club’s supporters held Jota banners in the stands at the Deepdale Stadium during their side’s pre-season friendly away match against Preston.

There was a rendition of the club’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” which was performed by Claudia Rose Maguire – wife of former Preston player Sean Maguire – shortly before the match kicked off at 3pm.

Preston captain Ben Whiteman also laid a wreath in front of the visiting supporters before today’s game.

Fans of both clubs broke into applause and a rendition of a song about Jota.

Around 13 minutes later Liverpool player Conor Bradley put his side 1 – 0 up before celebrating in a subdued manner with his teammates.

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez scored in the 53rd minute to make it 2 – 0 and marked the goal by doing Jota’s trademark “crocodile celebration” where he would do a snapping motion with his arms.

Nunez also sat on the grass and pretended to play a computer game – another of Jota’s celebrations.

Preston pulled one back in the 83rd minute before Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo made it 3 – 1 five minutes later.

Gakpo also did Jota’s famous crocodile celebration after scoring the goal.

Newly-married Jota, 28, died alongside his 25-year-old brother Andre Silva, a footballer who played in Portugal’s second division with Penafiel, when his Lamborghini crashed in Zamora in northern Spain on 3 July.

Liverpool players and supporters were seen in deep reflection during a one-minute silence in memory of the brothers moments before today’s game kicked off.

Both teams’ players wore black armbands during the match.

Children have been among those paying tribute in the stands with one boy holding a banner reading: “Forever missed, forever loved, forever remembered, forever our number 20.”

Liverpool supporters also sung the first of many renditions of a song about Jota 20 minutes before kick-off.

The tributes come after Liverpool retired the number 20 shirt Jota wore at all levels of the club, including the men’s and women’s first teams and academy squads, in his memory.

Liverpool teammates joined members of Jota’s family, including his wife Rute, at a huge memorial site outside Anfield on Friday.

There had been questions over whether today’s game would go ahead as Liverpool players – several of whom attended the funeral of the two brothers in Portugal last Saturday – were given extra time before reporting for pre-season training.

Mohamed Salah captained a young Liverpool side for the game, with Giorgi Mamardashvili getting the nod in goal and fellow new signings Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez amongst the substitutes. New £100million midfielder Florian Wirtz was not in the matchday squad.

Reds manager Arne Slot, who also visited Anfield to pay his respects last week, said in an interview on Liverpool FC’s website before today’s match: “We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go.”

He added: “In any moment we are here, we will carry him with us in our thoughts and in our hearts. To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done…

“I think what I take comfort in [is that] in the last month of his life, he was a champion in everything. A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married.

“A champion for his country because he won the Nations League, [with] a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations.

“And of course, a champion for us by winning the Premier League.”

Police said this week that all the evidence so far suggests Jota was the one driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.