Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has showered praise on Reds attacker Roberto Firmino after his match-winning display against Tottenham on Sunday.
The Brazilian, on a reported £100,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], produced an electric performance against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, scoring the eventual winning goal and delighting former Anfield star Redknapp.
“The Liverpool forward may not have scored a hat-trick like Eden Hazard, but he was Tottenham’s worst nightmare at Wembley,” he wrote in the Mail. “He was constantly harrying Spurs midfielders and giving them no time on the ball.
“On Sky Sports, I likened his performance to a hyena: always snarling, full of energy and ready to bite. Firmino is the ultimate team player who sets the tempo for Jurgen Klopp’s side.”
OPINION
Redknapp is absolutely right. Firmino was sensational on Saturday and elevated the rest of his team mates to even better performances. The 26-year-old has become such a key part of this Liverpool side that it’s now unthinkable to imagine him not in it. He is the perfect player for Klopp’s 4-3-3 system. He is an incredibly hard worker, while being a wonderful attacker with a terrific goal scoring touch. He perfectly compliments Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, and outperformed both those players at Wembley. Redknapp’s comparison to a hyena is absolutely apt; Firmino simply doesn’t give anything up. He’s constantly chasing the opposition down and forcing them into mistakes. That makes the job of those around him so much easier. It’s far simpler for Liverpool’s midfield three to nick the ball off the opposition when they’ve already been placed under intense pressure by Firmino. The Brazilian is a treasure, and he should be treated as such by Reds fans.
