OPINION
For Liverpool, the signs are already there that their title push could be about to falter at the most critical time, and events only worsened at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Not only did the Reds fail to taste victory against hated rivals Manchester United, but they lost crucial attacker Roberto Firmino to injury in the first half.
Now, The Telegraph is reporting that Jurgen Klopp faces an anxious wait to find out if the Brazilian will be fit to face Everton on Sunday, with Wednesday’s clash with Watford seemingly out of the question.
That is, quite frankly, devastating news for Liverpool, and could see their title train come off the rails altogether. This is a pivotal week for the club, with both games likely to be very testing encounters. To potentially go through them without a player as important as Firmino would be a big blow.
The former Hoffenheim man, will not quite being at his best this campaign, remains the single most important member of this much-vaunted Liverpool attack.
Mohamed Salah scores more goals and Sadio Mane might be more explosive, but Firmino is the one who knits everything together. He is the creative force of this Reds team and is easily the hardest-working of the front three.
We saw on Sunday that Daniel Sturridge simply isn’t an adequate replacement for the 27-year-old. He has a great track record in front of goal but he just isn’t the same seamless fit in this Liverpool frontline that Firmino is.
Again, this could turn out to be a decisive week in the city’s bid for a first league title in almost three decades. Battles with seventh place Watford and local rivals Everton could hold the key to Liverpool’s Premier League chances, and to face them without Firmino could prove fatal.
