Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino was outstanding against Newcastle United.
Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has told The Mirror that he thinks it’s ‘unbelievable’ how good Roberto Firmino is right now – and compared him to Eric Cantona.
The Magpies made the trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, in what looked to be a daunting task for Bruce’s side.
Yet having beaten Tottenham Hotspur away already this season, Newcastle were looking to do the same again, and took a shock lead through Jetro Willems.
However, Liverpool hit back as Sadio Mane equalised from an Andrew Robertson pass, and the Senegal ace then made it 2-1 from a Firmino pass.
Liverpool added their third as a stunning flick from Firmino set Mohamed Salah on his way to seal a 3-1 win, with Salah not even needing to break his stride to latch onto Firmino’s nonchalant flick.
The Brazilian has earned huge plaudits for his form in the early stages of this season, and his performance against Newcastle has seen him lauded from all corners.
Newcastle boss Bruce has now joined in, suggesting that Firmino is similar to a Manchester United legend in Eric Cantona, claiming he gives Liverpool perfect balance with pace around him in Salah and Mane, just like Cantona did with Ryan Giggs and Andriy Kanchelskis.
Bruce feels that Firmino’s work rate is ‘so important’ to Liverpool, and feels it’s ‘unbelievable’ just how good Firmino is right now.
“Look, Cantona is as good a player as I’ve ever seen,” said Bruce. “I haven’t seen Firmino week in week out but… Firmino is similar to Cantona in that he drifts into that little area and he naturally does it, where it’s so difficult for defenders to go. I haven’t seen him week in week out like Eric but just when you see him here today and what he gives them, it’s a perfect balance. And Cantona gave us that. Back in the day, we had Giggs and Kanchelskis who had frightening pace and stretched sides so much like Liverpool’s two, and Cantona dropped into that hole and people couldn’t get anywhere near him. That’s what you see with Firmino.”
“His attitude and work rate, it’s so important. Firmino is the one that drops in, but the pace of the other two is frightening. He drops in and the other two are running over your shoulder. It is quite unbelievable…at this moment in time is there anyone better? The one down the road I suppose is there at the minute but they are certainly as good as you get,” he added.
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