Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot choke back tears as Liverpool deliver Diogo Jota tribute

Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot choked back tears on Friday evening as Liverpool delivered a tribute to Diogo Jota ahead of their Premier League opener against Bournemouth. Jota tragically passed away at the age of 28 along with his brother Andre Silva last month following a car crash in Portugal.

Liverpool returned to Premier League action for the first time since Jota's death as they hosted the Cherries at Anfield. And ahead of kick-off, fans in the stadium displayed banners and sang You'll Never Walk Alone as a tribute to the striker. There was also a minute of silence, with the Liverpool players forming a chain in a moment of solidarity. Salah held back tears as he placed both his hands to his face, with Slot appearing to be overwhelmed with emotion as he watched on from the touchline.

Jota was a much-loved player among fans of the Premier League and spent five years playing for Liverpool after joining the club from Wolves in 2020.

The prolific goalscorer helped the Reds win the Carabao Cup on two occasions, as well as the FA Cup, and also starred as the north west giants cruised to the Premier League title last season.

He appeared for Liverpool 182 times in total and contributed 65 goals and 26 assists. He also won 49 caps for Portugal.

Jota got married to his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso in late June as the couple tied the knot in a ceremony in Porto.

But the footballer sadly lost his life just two weeks later when the car he was travelling in left the road in the Spanish province of Zamora.

Liverpool stars travelled to Portugal for the funeral of Jota and his brother on July 5 before the club paid tribute to the player ahead of their pre-season friendly with Preston.

"You can just hear the Diogo Jota chant bellowing out around Anfield. It is going to be an emotional night, not only for the fans but the players and their families as well," explained former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock ahead of the clash with Bournemouth.

"The hairs on the back of your neck are standing up. I can't put into words how you feel about it. There is hardly a dry eye in the place, such an emotional moment."

Liverpool were in fine form on the pitch against Bournemouth as they took the lead eight minutes before half time through a strike from summer signing Hugo Ekitike. And following the goal, the striker signalled the No. 20 with his hands in tribute to Jota, with the Portuguese player previously wearing the No. 20 shirt at Anfield.