Roberto Firmino dazzles as Liverpool’s striker for all seasons
In his thrilling display during the win at Burnley, the Brazilian shows why he is so important to the league leaders’ title hopes
Sachin Nakrani at Turf Moor
Shortly after Liverpool’s victory against Burnley, Jürgen Klopp was asked to assess the contribution of Roberto Firmino on an evening when the forward scored one goal, assisted another and dazzled throughout. Klopp smiled, described Firmino as a “really good player with a work rate” and then, to stress his point, went back to a less happy moment in his team’s recent history.
Wednesday 1 May 2019, Barcelona 3 Liverpool 0: the first leg of a Champions League semi‑final the Merseysiders eventually turned around in miraculous fashion but a result which, at the time, felt like a crushing blow. There were shattered bodies and minds in the away dressing room at Camp Nou afterwards, with no one more done in than Georginio Wijnaldum, partly due to his having been deployed in Firmino’s position after the Brazilian had been ruled out of the starting XI with a groin injury. Klopp recalled: “Gini’s sitting in the dressing room saying [to Firmino]: ‘What the heck are you doing in that position?’ ‘It’s unbelievable. It’s so intense.’”
You perhaps have to be Firmino, or at least attempt to do what he does, to fully appreciate what he brings to a Liverpool side that, having won the Champions League, now appear fully intent on securing the Premier League title.
Watching on, it can be difficult to comprehend how Firmino maintains such high standards, and performs with such joyous abandon, in a role that requires him to never stop moving, never stop running, link midfield to attack and put the ball in the back of the net. Little wonder Wijnaldum found it tough going and after Firmino’s display here it felt natural to wonder if there is another forward in world football quite like him.
Klopp insisted there are “one or two others” before going on to suggest that, well, maybe there are not. “Being skilled like Bobby is one thing, mixing it up with the attitude he puts in, that’s unbelievable and I’m not sure about that [in other players],” he said. “Skills wise, being there, passing in between, for sure there are some players. But the mix – wow, it’s exceptional.”
Firmino has been exceptional since the start of the season, something of a surprise given he returned late to preseason having been part of Brazil’s triumphant Copa America campaign. Against Burnley, having set up Sadio Mané for Liverpool’s second goal following on from Chris Wood’s freakish own goal, he sealed a fourth successive win for the leaders with a thumping strike on 80 minutes that also made him the first Brazilian to score 50 Premier League goals.
It was a landmark moment that came at the end of an altered Firmino performance, given the requirement for him not to press Burnley’s defence but rather sit deeper and work off second balls. He did it brilliantly.
Firmino may be not only the most unique forward around at the moment but also, perhaps, in Liverpool’s history. Certainly it is hard to think of many others in red who have combined such selfless hard work with high levels of tactical maturity, technical ability and ruthlessness.
One name does spring to mind – Kenny Dalglish, and while it would be absurd to suggest Firmino ranks anywhere near the man they call “the King” around Anfield there is something Dalglish-esque about the way he operates in this Liverpool side. “People will say there are better strikers, but what he does is so important to our team,” said Andrew Robertson. “He’s our first line of defence, he nicks the ball in midfield and then he goes up the park and scores goals and makes assists. We’d be lost without him. He’s world class.”
Others impressed for Liverpool on a day when they not only maintained a two point advantage over Manchester City going into the international break but also set a club record of 13 successive top-flight wins. Virgil van Dijk was yet again imperious in defence while Mané and Mohamed Salah again played their parts in a slick and swaggering front three, albeit the latter’s refusal to pass to the former did lead to a rather eye-grabbing tantrum by Mané after being substituted late on.
Mané eventually calmed down, and who was it that took it on himself to provide the Senegalese with a pat on the back and some soothing words? Firmino. He really can, and does, do everything.
