Former Premier League defender Daniel Gabbidon has raved over Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino’s performance against Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Brazilian climbed off the bench to replace the injured Divock Origi in the first half and proceeded to produce two assists for his fellow attackers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
BBC pundit Gabbidon was very impressed: “Most people play that badly & get dragged off… Mo Salah plays that badly & scores!,” he wrote on his personal Twitter account.
“Don’t wish injury on anybody but Firmino coming on was a blessing. Suddenly there looked like there was space to play. Liberty taking at times with those flicks, outstanding performance.”
Most people play that badly & get dragged off… Mo Salah plays that badly & scores! ? Don’t wish injury on anybody but Firmino coming on was a blessing. Suddenly there looked like there was space to play. Liberty taking at times with those flicks, outstanding performance.?
— Daniel Gabbidon (@Gabbidon35) September 14, 2019
OPINION
It’s an interesting point Gabbidon makes about Salah, and it’s something that separates the Egyptian international from most other players. He is always capable of scoring, no matter what sort of game he is having. He wasn’t really involved in the Newcastle match for much of the time up until his goal. And then, next thing you know, he’s put the ball in the back of the net. A lot of credit for his strike needs to go to Firmino as well, to be fair. The former Hoffenheim man produced an unbelievable flick to release Salah and set the 27-year-old on his way to goal. The two men compliment each other so well and that’s why, along with Sadio Mane, they make up arguably the most fearsome front three in Europe. Gabbidon is right about Origi’s injury. You never want a player to be sidelined, but it did in fact turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Reds. The game changed once Firmino was on. He provided the creative spark Jurgen Klopp’s side were missing, and that was all she wrote for the Magpies.
