Jose Enrique has stated on Instagram that he wants Jurgen Klopp to start Roberto Firmino for the first time in 2023 when Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League tie at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
The Reds are in Madrid where they are trying to overcome an unlikely 5-2 deficit from the first leg and Enrique wants his former club to be on the front foot.
Over the years, Liverpool have been famous for some quite stunning comebacks. If they progress here, then it might just top the lot.
Klopp knows for certain that he will be without Jordan Henderson and Stefan Bajcetic, so Enrique has picked James Milner and Fabinho as the sitters in the middle of the park, with Firmino just in behind as a number ten.
The usual front three of 2023 remain, with Cody Gakpo up top, Darwin Nunez on the left and Mohamed Salah on the right, and the same backline and goalkeeper that has started the last two Premier League games.
Either way, it’s an attacking line-up from Enrique, but when the thought of starting youngster Fabio Carvalho was mentioned, he brushed it off.
On playing Carvalho: “Don’t agree with Carvalho,” said Enrique in the comments section of his post. “But I agree with four attackers and maybe play with 4-2-3-1, with Firmino as a number ten.
“Reds, this is the way I believe we should play today with this starting lineup as well. And the score prediction 0-3 and then we win in extra time or penalties. Come on reds!!!”
FIRMINO READY TO START?
This is going to be Firmino’s last season on Merseyside and the £29 million star (BBC Sport) will want to end it with a bang.
From lifting the Premier League title and the Champions League, the quick-thinking forward has been an underrated figure for a Liverpool team that now needs refreshing under Klopp.
But do they have one last dance in them? Because if they do, then this comeback might just shoot straight to the top of Liverpool’s list of unlikely wins.
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