By scoring the equaliser for Liverpool in their 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest this evening, Diogo Jota has set a new all-time Premier League club record.
The ball was in play for just three seconds before Jota netted the vital goal for Arne Slot's men after being brought off the bench on 66 minutes.
That means Jota has broken the record for the fastest goal ever scored by a Liverpool substitute in the Premier League since records began, and it was a hugely significant goal at that.
Jota's flicked header ultimately was the difference between Forest closing the gap on Liverpool to three points or keeping it at six, which they managed to do.
What made the feat even more exceptional for Slot, is that Jota was brought on alongside left-back Kostas Tsimikas, and the Greek international was the man who also provided the assist too.
Where does Jota rank among other rapid-fire sub appearances?
While there were just three seconds between Tsimikas whipping the cross in and Jota burying the header beyond Matz Sels, it is in fact not the fastest goal scored by a sub in Premier League history.
That record belongs to Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner, who powered home a header of his own from a corner in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur in 2007 just 1.8 seconds after coming on.
© Imago
Bendtner also spent less time on the pitch than Jota, taking just six seconds to get from the touchline to the penalty area to thunder his header home, while Liverpool's man took 22 seconds in comparison.
While both goals came from corners, the fastest open-play goal from a substitute in Premier League history is also an impressive feat, and was scored by Sammy Ameobi, again against Spurs, just eight seconds after play got underway in their meeting at White Hart Lane in 2014.
What other feat did Jota also seal with this goal?
It was not just the instant impact from Jota that was so impressive, because he also joined an exclusive club with his goal this evening.
Since joining the club for the start of the 2020-21 season, Jota has now scored 10 headed league goals for Liverpool.
As an accomplished finisher, Jota has also netted double figures with both his left and right foot, joining Ollie Watkins and Erling Haaland as the only three players to score 10 or more goals with all three parts of the body over the last five seasons in the Premier League.
Jota is yet to start a Premier League game since returning from a two-month layoff midway through December, but his goal tonight will give Slot something to think about ahead of their trip to Brentford at the weekend.
Andrew Delaney
