Shaun Goater spoke highly of Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino on talkSPORT (8:53pm, November 5, 2020) ahead of the Premier League game against Manchester City this weekend.
The former City striker believes that Firmino is key to Liverpool’s pressing game.
Goater made the comments in the wake of a debate going on whether the Brazil international should be dropped in favour of Diogo Jota for the match against City.
Jota scored a hat-trick for the Reds in the Champions League in midweek and is pushing for a regular place in Jurgen Klopp’s starting lineup.
Goater said on talkSPORT (8:53pm, November 5, 2020): “Firmino is key to the press. He really sets it off for Liverpool, and really there is no one there that does it better in terms of setting their press off. That’s a huge part of teams that want to play out from the back.
“What I would say is because of some of the players they have missing, I wouldn’t be surprised if he went with Jota because you have got a player that’s on form, that’s scoring goals, there’s less responsibility on Salah and Mane to score the goals in this big game.”
Roberto Firmino to start against Manchester City?
Jota is playing well at the moment, and there is a case to be made that the former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger deserves to start against City.
However, Firmino – who cost the Reds £29 million in transfer fees when they signed him from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2015, as reported by BBC Sport– is a very good player, and him dropping and making space for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane is a key element of Liverpool’s attacking play.
It would make sense for Klopp to include the Brazilian in the starting lineup, and if he does not perform well, then he could bring on Jota in the second half.
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