Michael Owen says it’s ‘quite damning’ that Roberto Firmino is still starting for Liverpool given that he will leave at the end of the season after he was picked from the get-go against Chelsea on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge.
Jurgen Klopp made some big changes to Liverpool’s visit to managerless Chelsea, including benching the likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
With those big names watching on from the sidelines, the likes of Roberto Firmino, Joe Gomez and Konstantinos Tsimikas started.
But, for Firmino, this is set to be the 31-year-old’s final campaign in England’s top-flight – it has been suggested that when he does head for the exit door, it won’t be for another Premier League team.
Given that situation, Michael Owen couldn’t understand why the technically gifted forward is still starting for the club, as he told Premier League Productions (04/04/23 at 7:05 pm)
“I am not surprised that he made quite a few changes,” said Owen. “I think the fans were calling for changes.
“When you know someone like Firmino is about to leave at the end of the season. That is quite damning in many ways. He has been an amazing servant and he continues to be an amazing player.
“But, if you know somebody is going to be leaving and you are trying to build something for next season, then it feels a little bit damning, if I was a centre forward and somebody was about to leave is playing ahead of me. I will be thinking ‘Well, where is my future?’”
CHANGES WERE NEEDED
Even though Liverpool weren’t able to pick up all three points at the Bridge, those changes were needed.
For far too long now, Liverpool have been beyond abject, no more so than their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
It will be interesting if some of the big boys remain on the bench when the best team in the land – Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal – visit Merseyside on Sunday.
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